The Day the Moon Shines
by deep.Indigo
Summary: VysexRamirez shounen-ai (boys' love). The two are enemies, but certain choices and accidents occur to bring Ramirez aboard the Delphinus and unable to return to Valua--and thus stuck with Vyse. But despite it all, it might not be so bad...
1. Chapter 01: Koin no Omote to Ura Mitai d...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  
**Chapter 1:** Koin no Omote to Ura Mitai da  
(_It's Like the Surface and Reverse of a Coin_)

  
  
  
  
  
As Vyse, Fina, Gilder and Aika ran through the cold metal corridors of the Grand Fortress, daringly escaping from the heartless prison a second time, they heard behind them ominous footsteps, so precise and unhurried that it could only be one of the Admirals of the Valuan army.  


"Dammit!" Vyse cursed, sliding to a skidding halt on the recently over-waxed floor. "They found us out!"  


"Well, shit," Gilder spat. "We were so close to getting out, too… Heh!" He smirked, reaching for his gun. "Can't expect to be lucky all the time, eh?!" Aika grimaced, moving into a battle stance. "It just better not be that muscle-bound freak again," she muttered.  


"Not so fast!" Vyse stated, turning to his comrades. "We can't all get stuck like this, not when we're so close. You guys keep going and find a ship, and I'll hold whoever it is here so you can escape."  


"Vyse, you've gotta be kidding!!" Aika shouted, throwing down her hands. "There's no way we'd leave you here!"  


The young Air Pirate smirked and winked at them. "Don't worry, I won't lose!" he assured them. "Besides, I'll be right behind you. So just _go_!!"  


Fina hesitated, then nodded. "Thank you, Vyse," she said softly. "And...be careful!" She quickly turned and fled. Aika and Gilder hesitated likewise, and then turned to follow the lovely Silvite lady.  


"Don't get killed, Vyse!" Aika shouted back as they left.  


The brunet pirate gave her back the thumbs-up. "Don't worry!" he shouted back before turning to the approaching Admiral. "Now, whoever you are, show yourself and let's get this over with!!"  


From the shadows of the doorway opposite Vyse, the newest Admiral appeared, light and darkness playing across his slender frame. Vyse knew better than to take him lightly, though.  


"You're a fool to face me alone," Ramirez stated without emotion, drawing his sword.  


/_Maybe I _am_ a fool,_/ Vyse thought to himself, but he didn't allow himself to show that doubt. Smirking instead, he threw back, "You gotta take some crazy chances sometimes to win!"  


"You can repeat that to yourself when I run you through," the emerald-eyed Admiral retorted coldly.  


"_You_ can repeat that when you come and get me!" Vyse snapped in reply.  


Ramirez raised a snowy eyebrow and shook his head. "How childish," he muttered, and began to walk leisurely, his silver sword in hand, towards the impudent Air Pirate.  


Meanwhile, Vyse sweated, trying to think up a plan. His foot slid slightly as he tried to hold his ground, and he glanced down. With sudden revelation, his eyes widened. /_This floor...it's really slippery,_/ he realized. /_If I could get Ramirez to charge at me, I could hit him at the last moment to overbalance him and make him fall, and make my escape then! But what do I do to get him angry enough to run at me...?_/  


He smirked slightly as he got an idea.  


"Hey, Ramirez! Your momma dresses you funny!! Momma's boy!!" Vyse shouted, flipping the silver-haired swordsman the finger.  


Ramirez halted, astounded by Vyse's stupidity. "I don't have a mother," he stated flatly. "Idiot."  


At this, Vyse faltered, but quickly recovered. "I thought Galcian was your mommy! That's right! That's right!! He tucks you in at night and sings you bedtime stories!"  


Twitch, twitch, went the snowy eyebrow. "Lord Galcian is a _man_, you imbecile," Ramirez hissed, his eyes slitted.  


/_Yeah! Soft spot!!_/ Vyse cheered, hoping he wouldn't get horribly mutilated for his reckless daring. "You could've fooled me!" Switching to a falsetto voice, Vyse made a stereotypical gay pose and chirped, "Ohh, look at me! I'm Lohd Galcian! I have no balls! Look, look, hea's my li'tle boy, Ramirez! Isn't he so cute in his little sailah suit!?"  


"You are DEAD," Ramirez snarled, his eyes burning with verdure fire as he readied to cut down the impudent Blue Rogue.  


Switching to a different falsetto, Vyse moved into a new position and continued, "Hi, I'm Ramirez! I'm Lord Galcian's bitch! Don't I look so cute in this dress he made for me?"  


"DIE, YOU BASTARD!!" the silver-haired young man screamed, charging with his sword facing Vyse point-first.  


It was only Vyse's thief agility and speed that saved his life. Just in time, he leaped out of the way, grabbed Ramirez's collar, and spun him into the wall, causing the murderous Admiral to crash face-first and fall brutally onto the overly slick floor.  


/_Wow. Cool. I actually did it,_/ Vyse marveled as Ramirez's sword fell from his grasp and clattered several feet away, well out of his reach.  


On the floor, Ramirez twitched. "You..." he seethed, attempting to stand again. However, sharp blades of acute pain burst through his back, which had sprained when he had landed, and with a surprised cry, he collapsed again.

Blinking with wonder, Vyse's curiosity got the better of his good sense. Stepping over to the fallen Admiral, he squatted down and poked his arm. "You okay?" he asked.  


Ramirez's arm shot out and grabbed Vyse's, and through sheer willpower, he managed to pull himself up and shove Vyse against the wall he himself had hit. "Fool!!" he snarled. "If you had just had the sense to run away, you would have lived!!" In a swift motion, the young Admiral reached for his emergency dagger, hidden inside his sleeve, only to discover it was missing.  


Vyse grinned and held up a short but deadly sharp blade. "Looking for this?" he queried mischievously before tossing it far away. "You shouldn't ever underestimate a thief!"  


"Damn you!!" Ramirez snarled, quickly recovering from the shock, but before he could lunge for the young rogue's throat, an explosion of pain burst at the back of his neck. Eyes wide and twitching, darkness became his world, and Ramirez blacked out in Vyse's arms.  


"Lucky!" Vyse breathed, drawing his cutlass away from behind Ramirez, having smashed the hilt of it into the base of the young Admiral's skull. He pushed him off and began to make his escape, but something made him reconsider and look back at Ramirez's prone form. His expression softened with faint pity as he regarded the unconscious Admiral. /_It's not as if he would have shown _me_ any mercy,_/ he mused, /_but...it _was_ a really cheap shot... Ah, what the hell!_/ Sheathing his blades, Vyse picked up Ramirez, slung him over his shoulder, and started to run as fast as someone carrying over a hundred pounds of dead weight could.  


The Blue Rogue ran down the corridors and navigated the elevators, heading for the docks. With any luck, they had already secured a ship...assuming there was one there to begin with. He shook that worry aside, focusing instead on getting there first. He was just thankful that he hadn't gotten into any fights, which was amazing, considering the place was in an uproar, and also considering he was carrying one of the Valuan army's Admirals on his shoulders.  


Riding a lift up to the battleship docks, he spotted Aika standing near one of the most enormous ships he had ever seen. "Wow..." he whispered, staring at it. "That is one big ship." Turning his attention to his childhood friend as the lift landed, he called, "Hey, Aika!! I'm here!"

"VYSE!" the pig-tailed girl cried out, then did a double take when she saw who he had with him. "Wha—? Vyse, what are you doing?"  


Vyse laughed nervously, scratching the scar on his left cheek. "Well, uh...'s'kinda a long story...well, y'see, after you guys left, this guy—" Vyse swung around the unconscious Ramirez to show Aika exactly who he was toting, "—showed up, and I was all thinking, 'Oh, shit, I'm so dead'. But you know me, never say die, and, well, I managed to disarm him and then, I, uh, sorta knocked him out." As Aika gaped at him in disbelief, Vyse was vaguely aware that he was babbling, but he continued regardless. "And, well, I was gonna leave, but then I sorta felt guilty, so I sorta took him with me... ...but, anyway," he continued, "shouldn't we be getting out of here?"  


"Vyse, are you INSANE!?!" Aika nearly screeched. "That's RAMIREZ, for crying out loud, _Ramirez_!! He shot down the Little Jack and its lifeboats, and then he burned down Nasrad!! He's an Admiral for the Valuan army, meaning the Valuans are SO going to come after us for having him on board, and have you forgotten how strong Fina said he was?!"  


Vyse sighed. "Considering what I did to him, he's likely to come after me anyway..."  


Aika just stared at him, all but asking the obvious question.  


"Besides..." he continued, "doesn't Fina know him? Maybe she could talk to him..."  


Throwing up her hands, Aika sighed. "Vyse, I hope you know what you're doing."  


"It'll be okay, I'll think of something. Hey, where's everyone else? On this ship?" the young rogue inquired.

Aika blinked and looked back behind her. "Huh? This thing? Yeah..." Turning back, she sort of half-grinned and said, "We've got our own special Valuan guest, actually... C'mon!" Grabbing Vyse's free hand, not giving him time to ask questions, she all but dragged him towards the massive airship. His childhood friend steered him directly to the bridge, where they met up with Fina and Gilder. There was another youth, one Vyse didn't recognize, with flaxen hair and a regal posture.  


"You a—" Vyse started to ask, but stopped as everyone stared at him. Or more accurately, what he had with him.  


The brown-haired rogue laughed nervously yet again and unceremoniously dropped Ramirez on the floor, figuring if the young Admiral was already going to murder him for the insults he'd thrown at him earlier, throwing around his unconscious body wouldn't make much difference. "Surprise!" he said with a shaky half-grin.  


Everyone blinked.  


Vyse laughed a little, nervously. "It kinda just happened," he explained sheepishly as Fina knelt by Ramirez' fallen body, examining his condition.  


"...Vyse, you're crazier than I thought," Gilder stated at last. Then he laughed out loud. "I sure hope you've got a good plan, Vyse! I wouldn't want to be you when that guy wakes up! He's gonna be pissed!!"  


The younger Air Pirate sweated a little at that. "Does anyone have rope? Maybe we could tie him up or something..."  


The blond young man whom Vyse didn't recognize cleared his throat and stepped forward. "There are several emergency supply boxes on the Delphinus..." he said. "They should have rope in them."  


Vyse stared. "Who're you?"  


The young man smiled. "Forgive me for not introducing myself." He bowed. "I am Prince Enrique of Valua. This ship, the Delphinus, belongs to me." As Vyse gaped in surprise, Enrique continued, "As I've already explained to your friends, I want to help you and your crew; Valua's actions will surely be its downfall. Ruling through fear will only bring about its ruin, and I feel that as its Crown Prince, my hands are also stained with the blood that my country has spilled. Therefore, I am entrusting the Delphinus to you, Vyse, and I wish to accompany you as well. If need be, I will be your hostage."  


Vyse grinned and crossed his arms. "Sorry, Enrique," he replied, "but Blue Rogues don't take hostages. If you're going to sail with us, you're going to have to do so as an Air Pirate!"  


The young Prince smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Vyse," he said, clasping hands with the brunet rogue. "I will do my best as part of your crew."  


Aika laughed, watching the two. "With this ship and the Crystals, the Armada's gonna have a tough time trying to stop us!" she commented playfully.  


"The Crystals? But aren't they still in the hands of the Valuans?" Vyse inquired, blinking wonderingly at her.  


"Oh, technically, they were," Enrique said with a slightly mischievous smile, "until this Valuan handed them to your other friend, Vyse."  


Fina looked up from Ramirez, and with a smile of her own, she stood and brought out the Red and Green Moon Crystals.  


"Before I came here, I took the liberty of stealing the Crystals," the young Prince explained when Vyse stared agape at the glittering gems. "I had thought to destroy them, but when I spoke with your friends, I reconsidered and decided you all would put them to better use."  


"Wow!" the young Blur Rogue grinned, placing his fists akimbo. "Enrique, you're already acting like an Air Pirate!"  


"Heh; keep it up and you'll fit in just fine, Your Highness," Gilder smirked. Ignoring the Prince's protests to simply call him Enrique, the older Air Pirate glanced over at Ramirez and asked, "So what do we do about _him_? He really _isn't_ going to be happy when he wakes up, and I don't know about the rest of you, but I've heard too many rumors about Ramirez to just not worry about it."  


"Hmm..." Vyse murmured, crossing his arms over his chest. "Well, first we have to get out of here. Aika and Fina, you two help me pilot the Delphinus out of here. Enrique, since this is your ship, I'll bet that you know where to find some rope, so I'll leave it up to you go get some, take Ramirez to one of the rooms here and tie him up. Gilder, you go help; Enrique can't carry that guy on his own." He looked at the fallen Admiral then. "Ramirez might not have his sword, but he's still dangerous, so make sure to tie him up tight. I don't like it, but we'll have to save diplomacy for later, when we can be sure he won't try something. Once you two are done, make sure to hurry back to the bridge, all right?"  


"All right, Vyse," Enrique and Gilder replied, nodding their assent. Waiting first for Gilder to tote the fallen Admiral onto his back, Enrique left, leading the former through the ship. After watching them leave, Vyse set himself to figuring out the controls of the ship. Surprisingly, they weren't very different from the other ships he had piloted, even though it was a new design. With Fina and Aika's help, he began to prepare the ship to launch.  


/_This is it, the last hurdle,_/ he thought as he worked. /_Nothing can hold me back; not even the Grand Fortress!_/ Blasting through a weak point in the Grand Fortress and making his way through, Vyse was amazed how easily the Delphinus blew away the enemy ships that tried to hinder their escape. Soon, they had escaped from the Valuan Grand Fortress for a second time, and were sailing away virtually scot-free, accompanied by the Primrose and the Claudia, which had both aided in their escape.  


The day shaped up to be even better later on when Clara, Gilder, Enrique, Aika and Fina voted Vyse as captain of the Delphinus. Though uncertain as to his ability to take full responsibility, Vyse gladly accepted; how could he not, when his childhood dream was right there in front of him, begging to be grasped? And after that, Vyse and his friends had checked out the mechanics of the ship, to find Marco, a kid from Lower Valua, stowed away. Vyse had to admire his guts, and assigned him as a sailor and the first member of his crew. When all that was done, the young rogue talked with Gilder, who informed him of his intentions to leave the Delphinus in order to escape from Clara, about Vyse's life—where it had been and where the newly appointed captain was taking it. The red-cloaked pirate left Vyse with three pieces of advice, the last and most important of which was to never give up. It was when Gilder had just about finished when the two men heard Clara calling and Gilder subsequently had to make a hasty escape.  


"Good luck with Ramirez!" he yelled over his shoulder, and Vyse winced, even at the amusing sight of Clara passing him by, realizing it too late, doubling back and chasing after the love of her life—he still did not know exactly what to do with the white-haired man.  


/_I can't kill him,_/ thought Vyse. /_But I can't just leave him off somewhere, either... Think, dammit! There's gotta be someway I can get rid of him peacefully..._/ No matter how hard he pondered, though, he failed to see an answer that wouldn't get someone killed or put in danger. Strapped for answers, when his remaining companions returned, Vyse mentioned that predicament, hoping they'd be able to help.  


"Umm..." Fina stepped forward, her hands clasped to her chest. "If you like, I could talk to him..."  


"Hey, that reminds me!" Aika spoke up before Vyse could respond. "How d'you know Ramirez anyway, Fina?"  


"Um..." the Silvite murmured, avoiding their gaze for a moment. She looked at each of them in turn, then continued, "...I should tell you what I should have told you before." She sighed. "I grew up with him. He was like my older brother..."  


"What?!" Vyse, Enrique and Aika gasped in unison. The carrot-topped girl continued, "Does that mean Ramirez is a Silvite like you?!" "Yes..." Fina replied softly. She continued. "He was sent here to collect the Moon Crystals for the Elders, but...they lost contact with him. I was sent to complete his task...."  


"If he came here to gather the Moon Crystals," Vyse began, "then why is he allied with Valua?"  


"Ramirez is Admiral Galcian's right-hand man," Enrique commented then. "He is infamous within the Armada for his strategic genius, his amazing skill with the blade, his ruthlessness and his intense loyalty to Galcian. It's probably the summation of those things that prompted Galcian to recommend him to the position of the sixth Admiral. Still, I don't think even he knows about Ramirez's past..."  


Fina gazed at the floor. "I...don't know about any of that. I don't know what's happened to him at all...."  


There was an awkward moment of silence before Vyse hurriedly said, "Well, he's here, so you can talk to him now and see what he's thinking! Right, Aika?"  


Aika nodded quickly and fervently. "Right, right!"

The verdure-eyed Silvite smiled a little at that; they were always so good at making her feel better. "Of course, he'll have to wake up first..." she said in response to their prompting.  


Vyse laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh, why don't you go stay with him, heal his wounds and stuff?" he suggested. "He'll probably wake up angry, but seeing a familiar, friendly face might help things, right?"  


Fina nodded, and left to watch over her friend's unconscious body.

  
  


/_Ugh...my head._/  


Spots of light danced over Ramirez's sight, appearing and disappearing like will-o-wisps to the pulse of blood throbbing in his head. The roar of that blood rumbled in his ears, reminding him distinctly of the rush of an air rift howling through the sky. The young Admiral hunched over slightly; the effects of a concussion, perhaps? He hadn't suffered like this since that time when—  


"Ramirez?"  


/_That voice sounds familiar... Fina? But what is she doing here? ...Wait, where _is_ 'here'? And why can't I move?_/  


"Pain..." he muttered, splinters of it burrowing into his wrists and ankles. When he struggled a bit, he realized that he was bound tightly into the kneeling position he was in now. He chanced a look up, to see the younger Silvite hunched over him, a worried expression creasing her features. Ramirez opened his mouth as if to say something, but then he hesitated and shut it, not sure of what he could ask that wouldn't weaken his position further.  


"Are you hurt? You don't look so good..." Fina spoke, gazing at him compassionately, a hand raised as if to place it on his shoulder.  


"I'm tied up," he stated in a flat, accusatory tone, returning an obvious answer for an obvious question.  


Her gaze dropped to the floor. "You had to be... Otherwise, you might hurt someone..." she spoke softly. She returned her gaze to him once more. "I can heal you, if you want..."  


Ramirez considered his headache and the various aches and pain throughout his body; then, nodded once.  


The young woman began casting a Sacres spell on the young Admiral. Green light spilled over his body and faded, taking most of his pain with it.  


Ramirez patiently waited for Fina to finish that and another before he asked his first question. "What is going on?"  


His childhood friend knelt near him and began. "Well...first of all, we're on the Delphinus. I'm afraid we had to take you with us when we escaped..."  


"'We'?" the Admiral repeated, expression hardening.  


Feeling there was no harm in sharing such information, Fina told him, "Vyse, Aika, Enrique and myself. Gilder, too, but he's gone now...."  


His expression did not change. "_Them_."  


Fina grew worried. "Ramirez...?" she queried.  


He glanced up at her. "Well then," he began in a frigid tone, "you and the Air Pirates have taken me prisoner. Now what?"  


"I really don't know. They won't kill you, though, I'm sure..." she replied. Then she continued, asking the question forefront in her mind, "But, Ramirez... I've wanted to ask you... Why are you working with the Valuans? They will only misuse the Crystals."  


A faint smile appeared on his lips. "With the Valuans...? You misunderstand, Fina. I am not working for the _Valuans_."  


Her eyes widened. "What? But you are one of their Admirals!"  


Ramirez shrugged a bit. "Merely a title," he replied.  


"Then what...?" she asked, her expression one of complete confusion.  


Ramirez considered her for a moment, then spoke again as if changing the subject. "Fina, do you remember what the Elders always said about the humans down here?"  


"Yes..." the young woman murmured, remembering the warnings the Elders had given her.  


"And you remember how I always resisted those ideas."  


She merely nodded, remembering those long-gone times.  


Ramirez' faint smile thinned out a bit. "When I first came to this planet, I was taken in by a Valuan Admiral, and not long after, I learned much of what motivates these humans. Greed...money...material possessions...these were the only things for which they cared. These things, and those people who lusted after them, came to sicken me. The hope I had for these people died out quickly, and what was left was a deep loathing. In short, I found out that the Elders were right after all." He bowed his head slightly. "However... I found one who was different. Lord Galcian... He cares nothing for worldly possessions. The only thing he desires is power. He was the one who taught me that it is only power that matters, and that to attain power is the reason for living. It is _him_ I follow—not these pathetic, self-destructive humans that deserve only death."  


"But.... not all people are like that. I have met some people who wish nothing but kindness for others..." she said softly, stunned at his sudden confession.  


Ramirez narrowed his eyes. "Do you mean the Air Pirates with whom you're traveling?" he questioned coldly. "Haven't you yet realized that they're using you to get to the Moon Crystals?"  


She stared at him in shock. That thought hadn't even crossed her mind. She shook her head in denial. They couldn't do that! They were her friends! She thought of all the things that they had done for her, up to and including saving her life. Vyse and Aika....they wouldn't do all that just to betray her! Lost in the swirl of thoughts, she was left speechless.  


Ramirez smiled mirthlessly as her expression of horror. "It seems that you haven't," he commented dryly.  


"They wouldn't!" she protested, desperate to find some proof that they weren't using her. "They saved my life! Vyse, Aika, they've taught me so much about courage and friendship..."  


"They put you in their debt so that you would feel obligated to help them," Ramirez countered calmly. "No... No one could be that malicious..." she whispered.  


"You have led a sheltered life. You don't know what people are truly capable of."  


She broke his gaze and did not respond.  


At that moment, a knock came at the door. "Fina?" Aika's voice called out. "Is he awake yet?"  


Fina stood, and opened the door to reply to the female pirate face-to-face. "Yes..." she murmured, looking at Aika sadly.  


Aika stared at the young Silvite and blinked. "Something wrong?"  


Fina shook her head, but she glanced away, her expression wrought with anxiety. "Is there something you wanted?" she inquired softly.  


"Uh, I was checking up on you to make sure you were all right..." Aika said slowly, perplexed. She glanced over at Ramirez, whose face was hidden by his bangs, and leaned in closer to Fina and whispered, "Say...he hasn't said anything to upset you, has he?"  


Fina pushed past the red-headed pirate, closing the door as she did so. "Actually...he... I need to talk to you and Vyse..." Fina said to her.  


Vyse pushed himself off the wall he'd been leaning against and walked up to the two girls. "What's up, Fina?" he asked, frowning a bit.  


The white-robed girl regarded him for a moment anxiously before repeating what Ramirez had said to her. "...I want to trust you two...but..." she trailed off, unsure of how to express the complexity of her dilemma.  


The brown-haired rogue sighed, scratching his hair. "But after what Ramirez told you, you don't know what to believe?" he guessed.  


Fina shook her head. "...No. You have saved my life and helped me with my quest...but..." She sighed. "I'm sorry. I think I need a little time to sort it out."  


"Ooh, I can't believe that Ramirez jerk!" Aika huffed, crossing her arms. "Saying something like that to you... You're like his little sister, right, Fina? Where does he get off saying that stuff about the people you care about!?"  


Fina sighed again. "I really don't know. He's...changed since I last saw him...changed so much..."  


Aika frowned and turned to her childhood friend. "Vyse, what should we do?" she asked him.  


Vyse considered the question for a moment, then smirked. "I say the three of us go in there and have a little 'heart-to-heart' with Ramirez," he grinned.  


Aika gasped. "Do you think that's a good idea?"  


He shrugged. "He's tied up. The worse he can do is curse at us."  


The red-headed pirate grinned, catching on. "Hey, you've got a point there! It might be fun to give him a taste of his own medicine! What do you say, Fina?"  


Fina hesitated, then nodded. "Maybe it would be a good idea..."  


"Well, shall we?" Vyse said, heading towards the door.  


The two girls followed him as he opened the door and entered the room. Ramirez regarded the new arrivals coldly, but Vyse ignored the glare and walked out in front of the young Admiral, crossing his arms.  


"I hear you've seen telling Fina some interesting things, Ramirez," he started.  


Ramirez shrugged. "And...?" he said, rather nonchalantly for a bound man.  


"_And_, don't you feel a _little_ guilty for messing with the mind of the girl you grew up with?!" Aika butted in, annoyed.  


"How am I 'messing with her mind'? It could be the truth, for all I know," the white-haired man stated calmly.  


"But you _don't_ know. You don't know what we've been through with Fina, or what kind of people we are. Besides, from the looks of it, it seems we treat her better than you do, and you're supposedly like her big brother!" Vyse countered.  


"You are pirates," Ramirez stated plainly.  


"Yeah? And?" Aika and Vyse asked in unison.  


"Just like all the other people on this planet, pirates take advantage of the weak. The only thing your kind cares about is how much money you make." The Admiral's tone was even, though his eyes burned with his disgust and loathing.  


Aika and Vyse blinked at his statement, then stared at each other, then busted out laughing. "What's so funny?!" Ramirez demanded, eyes narrowing.  


"Heh..." Vyse shook his head, unable to keep a smile off of his face. "It's just that, you said 'take advantage of the weak'... Blue Rouges _only_ raid armored ships, and the treasure we take, we use to help others..."  


"Not to mention us Blue Rogues do what we do as much for the adventure as for the treasure!" Aika added, still doubled over. Fina chuckled a little at this, though she covered her mouth, trying to be mindful of Ramirez.  


"Besides," Vyse spoke again, "what makes someone who desires power any better than someone who desires money?"  


His eyes flashing as he struggled visibly against his bonds, Ramirez growled, "How. Dare. You."  


Vyse raised his eyebrows, amazed at how the mere insinuation of an insult towards Galcian set Ramirez aflame, as the silver-haired Admiral continued.  


"Filthy pirates such as you have no place criticizing Lord Galcian," he said icily. "If you knew anything at all, you would not ponder the difference between seeking power and seeking treasure." He leaned forward, ignoring his hair as strands of it fell onto his face. "Money is a dirty thing, worthless and without meaning; those who possess it believe it determines their worth, and that it elevates them above honor or integrity.  


"Strength is beyond that!" Ramirez declared, his eyes bright with barely restrained passion. "_Strength_ is the core of one's character, and those who possess power understand the futility of collecting wealth. Wealth is just a weakling's way of reassuring himself of his self-worth. But that wealth is fickle; it can be squandered, stolen or lost. But once one gains strength and power, they will _never_ disappear!" Losing his self-control briefly, he shouted, "They are the **only** things that matter!!"  
  
"Hehh," Aika smirked, setting her hands on her hips. "Pretty good for improv, eh, Vyse?"  
  
Her childhood grinned back before looking down at Ramirez and rebutting, "So, basically, you're saying that nothing but your own self-improvement matters?" He crossed his arms, smirking, and continued, "Isn't that just an excuse to be selfish?"  
  
Fina added before Ramirez could snap a retort, stepping up to the two, "You know...I may be wrong, but it seems to me that, for people who lust after money and power alike, other people start meaning less and less."  


"No, you're absolutely right!" Aika told her.

"So a man who thinks that life's just about gaining power..." Vyse started.  


"...would just use his underlings towards that end..." Aika continued.  


"...wouldn't he?" Fina finished, startled by her sudden realization of what they were implying.  


Ramirez bared his teeth, an ugly darkness spread across his face, his eyebrows tense and nearly twitching. "He would _never_ do such a thing," he snarled. "You sully him with your words!!"  


"Maybe," Vyse shrugged. "But how do you _know_ he wouldn't? Why wouldn't he, if gaining power is his top priority?"  
  
So astonished at Vyse's inability to understand was he that the young Admiral simply silently stared at the Air Pirate, lips parted for a retort that he could not voice.  


Vyse shook his head at the Admiral's silence and turned to Aika and Fina. "I think we've said all that needs to be said," he commented. "Why don't we leave him here to think about it for a while?"  


Aika grinned. "Sure," she replied, "let him stew for a while."  


The three walked out of the room. Fina glanced back at Ramirez, whose head was still bowed. She bit her lip slightly, but followed Aika and Vyse back to the bridge, closing the door behind her.  


/_How _dare_ they._/ Ramirez ran the conversation over and over in his mind, his teeth tightly clenched, his green eyes so fixed on the floor that, to anyone watching, it seemed as if he would melt it. /_They don't know anything—anything at all! Greedy, self-absorbed, self-centered insects... How _dare_ they speak of Lord Galcian that way!?_/ He switched his loathing to the steel door, a prison gate that mocked him simply by being shut./_Desire for power and desire for money are not the same thing. Money changes nothing—it is only a thing to be possessed, and whether one has it or not, it is irrelevant to their character. But the possession of power is everything! Whether one is weak or one is strong makes all the difference!_/ Shaking his head almost violently, gnashing his teeth, Ramirez blazed on,/_It is the strong that survive, the strong that lead, and the strong that shape the world. The weak will be eventually destroyed by the strong, so in order to continue to live, one has to be strong! It is power that means everything!!_/  


  


  
Many hours later, the crew of the Delphinus reached Crescent Island. They had met two men there, Brabham the ship engineer and Izmael the builder, who had been referred by Gilder. They said they would fix up the ship and island—for a fee, of course. After an exchange of coinage, the small crew removed themselves from the ship so that Brabham could begin his work.  


The island itself was still in much the same shape it had been before, and the girls busied themselves with admiring and exploring it. The boys were not quite so enthusiastic; Vyse had already spent two weeks living there a while ago, Ramirez's hands were still tightly bound, though his feet had been undone so he could walk, and Enrique was too busy trying to convince his last meal to not evict itself from his body—his trip aboard the Delphinus had not been kind to him. Despite this and Enrique and Ramirez's indisposition towards celebration, there was lots of laughter and joking, and once Enrique recovered from his airsickness, he too joined in the conversations. Soon night fell, and the five sat around a campfire, four of them talking and eating. Ramirez, opting not to join in, simply brooded silently, sometimes glaring at his bonds, sometimes glaring at the one who had captured him. This was fine with Vyse and Aika, as it was better to have a quiet prisoner than a loudly ranting and/or complaining one, but Enrique occasionally and Fina frequently glanced over in his direction.  


"Ramirez?" Fina finally spoke. "Are you okay?" He had been silent for several hours now, and she couldn't help but worry about him. /_I wonder what's on his mind..._/ she mused.  


With her words, Vyse, Aika and Enrique fell silent, and Ramirez glanced up, frowning.  


"No," he replied simply.  


Fina sweated a little at this. "Um... Is there anything I can do?" she asked nervously.  


Ramirez raised an eyebrow, scowling at her. "Nothing your 'friends' would approve of," he stated, eyeing the others.  


"...Oh," she said quietly, staring down at her lap.  


After an awkward moment of silence, Aika huffed a bit. "You know, she's just trying to make you feel better, Ramirez," she snapped. "You don't have to be so cold!"  


Ramirez gazed at her with a steely glare. "_You_ are the ones holding _me_ prisoner," he pointed out.  


"But if we didn't," Aika said, annoyed, "you'd probably try to kill us all!"  


Ramirez chuckled mirthlessly. "Is _that_ your excuse? I'm unarmed and outnumbered." He smirked and continued, "Are you really _that_ afraid of me?"  


"Well...yeah," Vyse shrugged, scratching his scar. "You're a psycho."  


That wasn't quite the response Ramirez had expected. "Excuse me?"  


Vyse repeated himself. "You're a psycho! You burn down cities! You attack lifeboats! That usually constitutes being a psycho, you know."  


Ramirez narrowed his eyes, turned his head away and did not respond.  


"We won another argument!" Aika said delightedly. "Blue Rogues, two, Ramirez, nothing!"  


"Hah! Logic wins again!" Vyse added, and the two of them slapped their hands together once, twice, and then extended their arms parallel to each other in a double thumbs-up with a triumphant "Yeah!".  


Enrique coughed and attempted to simultaneously change the subject and keep himself from staring at the bizarre spectacle. "So, Vyse...what was your childhood like?"  


This distracted the young captain of the Delphinus. "Huh? Me? Um, let's see..." Vyse thought for a moment. "Well, my dad was a Blue Rogue, too, so I grew up around ships and traveling and stuff, and I guess that fostered my interest in it."  


"It's Vyse's childhood dream to be captain of his own ship and sail around the world...and you know, he's already made half of that come true!" Aika added, grinning and prodding Vyse with her elbow.  


"Heh. Yeah," Vyse grinned a bit, rubbing the back of my neck. "When I was a kid, I used to spend all my time and money on these build-'em-yourself ship kits... There was this one, I remember, I'd worked on for six lunar cycles to get it perfect...and then Aika stepped on it."  


"Your room was a mess!" Aika protested, seeing where the tale was going to head. "And it's not my fault you left your precious build-it-yourself ship on the floor! Might I remind you that I couldn't walk for two and a half weeks after the mast skewered my foot?!"  


Both Enrique and Fina had to laugh at that story. Even Ramirez listened to the Blue Rogue intently, although he did not show it. /_I was like that once...a long time ago,_/ he mused. /_Idealistic fool. He has no idea how the world really works._/  


"Exactly how big was it, if it got broken by being stepped on?" Enrique asked, as soon as he able to contain himself.  


"It was about a foot long, but it was really high quality! I'd saved my allowance for three lunar cycles to buy it!" Vyse grumbled. "And then another half-year to build it—and then along comes Aika's Foot of Doom..."  


Fina giggled. "That actually sort of reminds me of the model ships Ramirez used to build when he was younger," she commented.  


All eyes fixed on the lovely female Silvite.  


"Really?" Vyse asked, surprised. He glanced at Ramirez. "He used to be into that, too?"  


Fina nodded. "He really liked to build things..." she started to say, but stopped upon seeing her old friend's glare.  


"Fina..." Ramirez stated, his voice level and his gaze dangerous, "don't talk about me."  


The blond woman became flustered and turned away, a sad expression upon her face.  


"Oh, ignore him, Fina!" Aika reassured her friend. "Tell us about Ramirez anyway! What else did he have in common with Vyse?"  


"I _said_, **don't** talk about me!!" Ramirez snapped, this time more towards Aika than Fina.  


The pig-tailed woman sighed and rolled her eyes. "You're really touchy about this, aren't you?" she commented.  


"I dunno, I kinda see where he's coming from," Vyse said. "I mean, me having stuff in common with Ramirez...it's pretty scary."  


Aika laughed at that. "You're right. It _is_ scary, when you think about it."  


Ramirez glowered in their direction, but said nothing.  


Aika leaned over to Vyse as she laughed, and in doing so, got a good whiff of him. "Woo, you stink!" she said, pulling away quickly. "Vyse, when was the last time you bathed?"  


Vyse considered this. "Um.... I really don't know," he finally said, sheepishly.  


"Well, go take one!" Aika demanded. "There's a pool right behind us; you can use that! Fina and I'll go wait in the cave on the other side of the island. And Enrique and Ramirez can clean themselves up at the same time, too!"  


Enrique shook his head. "I don't need to just yet, really... I already bathed this morning," he stated. "Besides," he continued, "I would be better off getting some rest. I still don't feel quite normal."  


"Ehh... I guess that's okay, but..." Vyse snuck a peek at Ramirez, who looked severely displeased with the suggestion of bathing with the Blue Rogue.  


"Oh, don't worry," Aika said in response to the unasked question. "If he tries to kill you, just yell."  


Vyse had to laugh at that. "'Help! Ramirez is killing me!'?"  


Aika giggled. "See, that's the spirit!"  


Ramirez and Fina weren't quite as amused, though.  


"How am I supposed to bathe when my hands are still tied?" the former asked wryly, scowling.  


Vyse scratched the back of his head. "I guess we could untie you..."

"How generous of you," Ramirez replied, voice dripping with acid sarcasm.  


Fina knelt and untied the green-eyed man's wrists. Ramirez allowed her to do so, but once the ropes slid off his wrists, he pulled them in front of him and rubbed them, his narrowed eyes trained on Vyse.  


Vyse suppressed a sigh. /_This is going to be fun,_/ he thought sarcastically.  


  


  
Although his life had steadily gotten worse since he had faced Vyse in combat—if it really could be called combat, all considering—earlier that day, Ramirez had to admit that it was rather relaxing to bathe under the stars like this. He just wished that the afore-mentioned pirate didn't have to be there with him.  


Surreptitiously glancing over at the brunet rogue, who was floating face-up in the water and staring thoughtfully at the night sky, he frowned. The vulnerability Ramirez felt from having to bathe in the same waters as _him left him quite uncomfortable. If Vyse felt the same, he hid it admirably.  
_

"What are you looking at?" Vyse asked suddenly, sitting up. /_What's he doing, watching me? It's sort of weird..._/  


"What?! Nothing," Ramirez barked, quickly turning away to hide the flush he felt beginning to burn into his cheeks. /_What the hell am I doing?!_/ he wondered furiously. However, he had no answers to give himself.  


Vyse merely shrugged; best not to push the subject, he decided. "Whatever you say," he replied, sinking back into the chill water.  


Ramirez glared sullenly at his rippled reflection in the water, illuminated by the Red Moon. /_That obnoxious little..._/ he seethed, but despite his hateful thoughts, the Silvite began to think back about what he'd learned about Vyse's childhood and how strangely similar it had been to his own.  


The rogue spoke suddenly. "Um, Ramirez?" he began, sitting up again slightly. "Hey, I'd like to apologize for all the insults earlier... I was only trying to get you off your guard, since, to be honest, I know I didn't have a chance in combat."  


Ramirez stared over at Vyse, surprised by the sudden apology, and found he couldn't begin to form a reply, biting or otherwise.  


"Well...um, I just wanted you to know, that's all...." the Blue Rogue explained, more than a little disturbed by the other's man's silent, wide-eyed gaze.  


"Er...right," Ramirez replied, knocked out of his stunned silence. After a few more seconds of silence, the silver-haired young man regained his mental footing and turned away. "...That doesn't mean you're forgiven," he added sharply, glowering at the water surface. Strange; with the Red Moon shining on it like this, it looked like blood... "I've merely acknowledged your apology."  


Vyse smiled nervously. "I guess that's better than I could have expected..." he admitted.  


"Ngh," Ramirez grunted in non-reply before falling silent again.  


"So, uh," Vyse started, hoping to get a conversation going, "what were you like when you were a kid, Ramirez? I'm just curious," he added at the young man's harsh glance. "Since it sounds as if you did some of the same stuff as me. Just thought it was an interesting coincidence."  


"It's just a coincidence. We have nothing in common," Ramirez said, more to himself than in response to Vyse's query.  


"Well, even if it is a coincidence, what were you like?" the brown-haired rogue insisted. "C'mon, you know what _I_ was like!"  


The white-haired man quietly regarded him for a moment longer. "I was...interested in what this world was like," he stated finally. "The Silvites have been separate from this world for many generations. All our knowledge of the world is handed down from ancient times. All I knew of the world was from the few books and maps I had, and what the Elders told me."  


"What did the Elders tell you?" Vyse queried, getting genuinely interested.  


"That you people are fools who can not be trusted. That the things that motivate you are petty desires, which is why you always end up fighting each other, burning alive in fires you yourselves set," he said, his tone even and cold.  


Vyse blinked, surprised. A moment of silence passed before he finally replied, "Well, that explains why you're so screwed up. But the Elders don't know what they're talking about. True, there are some people who are like that—there are always some people who are like that. But there are lots of other people who are different. You shouldn't judge everyone in this world just by the people you met from Upper Valua. That's just about the worst place to make a first impression, I think."  


Ramirez closed his eyes and considered this. True, the people he had encountered and interacted with since he came to Arcadia had been almost exclusively Valuans. However, it didn't change the fact that... "I've yet to see any proof otherwise."  


"You haven't seen enough of the world," Vyse countered. "You're not gonna go anywhere else for a while; why don't you come with us? You can see the world with Fina and the rest of us!"  


Ramirez gawked at the Air Pirate and shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe you just offered to make me part of your...team."  


Vyse blinked. "Is there a problem with that?"  


"YES, there is a problem with that!!" the silver-haired Admiral snapped. "We're enemies! Haven't you realized that yet?! Are you blind?! Are you _stupid_!?!"  


Vyse shrugged at the other man's outburst. "Hey, you don't need to be so mean. You can just say no, if you don't want to," he said calmly.  


Ramirez sighed in exasperation. "I'll think about it," he finally conceded.  


"That's good enough for now. Just let me know when you decide, okay?" the Blue Rogue said, smiling a bit.  


"Yes, I suppose," Ramirez muttered.  


Vyse grinned and stood. "Well, we've been in here long enough, so I guess we're good to go." He walked over to the edge of the pond and began to gather his clothes.  


Ramirez, startled by the suddenness, stared at Vyse's nude body as it moved through the clear water, and as if imparted by the Red Moon's light, he felt heat flow into his face again. He glanced away quickly, still blushing, and covered his mouth with his hand. /_What are you doing, looking at him like that?!_/ he chastised himself. /_That's disgusting!!_/  


Vyse picked up his towel and started drying himself, unaware of the other man's 'dilemma'. When he finished, he wrapped it around his waist and looked back to the green-eyed man. "Hey, are you gonna get out, or are you gonna stay there all night?" he called out.  


"I like my privacy," Ramirez snapped back, not looking up at Vyse.  


"Fine..." Vyse sighed, turning his back towards Ramirez.  


The emerald-eyed young man hesitated for a second. He'd only said that because it was the first thing that had popped into mind... Feeling somewhat guilty but not quite sure why, Ramirez watched Vyse as he made his way out of the water. As quickly as he was able, he dried himself off and got dressed.  


"Done," he called over to Vyse, his voice tinged with annoyance he was sure he didn't feel.  


"All right, then," the pirate replied, turning to face Ramirez. "We should go back to where everyone else is, okay?"  


The white-locked Silvite gazed evenly at Vyse, still clad in only a towel. His jade eyes flicked to the uncovered parts of the young pirate's body, and for some reason, something in his chest tightened. "I suppose," he said at length, keeping his tone neutral.  


Vyse coughed. "Um, if you could give me some privacy?"  


Ramirez unwillingly flushed again. "Er...of course," he nodded, turning around.  


Vyse, too, quickly dressed, not wanting to make the other man wait long. The two of them were quiet on the walk back, although it was a short one, to the cave in which Aika and the others were waiting.  


"There he is!" Aika beamed when Vyse and Ramirez appeared. "All clean and fresh-smelling!"  


The young captain grinned sheepishly. It was kind of embarrassing...  


Fina walked over to Vyse and leaned in to whisper in his ear. Glancing worriedly to Ramirez, who fortunately wasn't paying attention due to having entirely too much to think about, she inquired softly, "Vyse, should we tie him up again...?"  


Vyse nodded in assent. "That might be a good idea," he agreed.  


"But...how are we going to do it?" she added, her attractive face creased with worry.  


Vyse sweated at this. "That's a good question..."  


"Maybe we could just ask...?" Fina suggested, her eyes reflecting hope at a nonviolent solution.  


Vyse stared, then turned over to Ramirez. "Hey, Ramirez, d'you mind if we tie you up again?"  


"Hm? Whatever," he replied absently, his gaze directed toward some point ten feet to the right of the Air Pirate's head.  


Vyse blinked. "Are you okay?" he inquired, puzzled at the other man's change in attitude.  


"Nn," the handsome young Admiral grunted, thoughts still elsewhere.  


The Blue Rogue stared at the others, who all returned looked equally bewildered, and shrugged, grabbed some rope, and began to bind the other man.  


Ramirez jerked away from Vyse, rudely separated from his musings at the first attempt to bind his hands. "What are you doing?!" he demanded, glaring.  


Vyse regarded him with an odd look. "Well...you said you didn't mind if we tied you up again," he said with a shrug.  


Ramirez's eyes narrowed. "Touch me and die."  


"All right, all right, we won't touch you!" Vyse said, backing away from the angry Admiral.  


"Hmph." Ramirez glanced away, scowling severely.  


"Err..." Vyse began, unsure of how to handle the volatile young man. "This might sound stupid, but do you promise not to kill us in our sleep?"  


Ramirez looked up at him, an eyebrow raised. He glanced around the room at Fina, then Enrique, then Aika, considered his chances for escape, considered his chances of accidental discovery, and considered the likelihood of being able to get away with it. Finally, he decided that it wasn't worth the risk, and that other, better opportunities would present themselves later.  


He shrugged and muttered, "I suppose."  


Vyse sweated a little. /_I am not going to sleep very well tonight..._/ he reflected.  


As the five readied for bed, Aika pulled Vyse outside and hissed to him, "We've gotta do something about this! Vyse, you're staying up, and as soon as Ramirez falls asleep, you're going to tie him up again!!"  


Vyse whispered back to her, "Actually...it might be a better idea not to treat him as a prisoner. I'll explain in the morning, okay? I don't want him to get suspicious of us."  


Aika sighed dramatically. "Are you going to take responsibility if he does anything funny?"  


Vyse smiled. "Of course! I _am_ the captain," he replied.  


The red-headed pirate girl shook her head but smiled regardless. "I sure hope you know what you're doing, Vyse," she commented as they walked back into the cave.  
  
  


* * *

  
**NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal __Arcadia [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong.  
  
_If anyone is wondering at Vyse's, um, interesting taunts:_  
**Ayu:** Can _you_ think of a better way to get Ramirez mad?  
  
_If anyone is thinking, "Whaaat? Ramirez, falling for Vyse?! WTF?!":_  
**Ianthe:** Give me a good reason why Ramirez shouldn't fall for Vyse. First off, this is SHOUNEN-AI (which means two guys falling in love). They are getting paired up no matter what ^^. Second, Vyse is hot. Case closed.  
**Ayu:** All the ladies love Vyse! Why shouldn't some of the men love him, too?  
  
**Ayu:** The title of the fanfic, _The Day the Moon Shines_, is a play on the title of a _Tenkuu no Escaflowne_ song called _The Day the Wind Blows_; in case anyone's interested, the Japanese titles would be _Tsuki ga Teru Hi_ and _Kaze ga Fuku Hi_, respectively. The title of this chapter is a line from the _Cowboy Bebop_ ending theme, _THE REAL FOLK BLUES_. Full lyrics to both songs can be found at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!_, the link to which you can find below.  
  
**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com**  
Contact Ianthe of d.I: ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))  
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net))**_


	2. Chapter 02: Kizamitsukeru Kotoba ha Koor...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo

**Chapter 2:** Kizamitsukeru Kotoba ha Koori no Yaiba  
(_The Words I Engrave Are A Blade of Ice_)

  
  
  
  


Ramirez was still awake, long after the others had fallen asleep. It was difficult for him to sort through all that had happened, and especially...his feelings. Although he still remained unwaveringly loyal to Lord Galcian, he did admit that Vyse had made at least one valid point, that Upper Valuans left a terrible first impression. Vyse... Ramirez's jade-green eyes narrowed. Why had he looked at the pirate that way? When he thought about, it was if he almost felt a fondness towards Vyse. He shook his head, as if to dismiss that thought entirely. That couldn't be it... Perhaps it was because he was...unused...to seeing others like that...? Yes, that made more sense. Vyse was the enemy, after all.  


That returned his thoughts to the young rogue's offer earlier to let him join the group. Though the thought of seeing the world he had always dreamed of and wondered about as a child appealed to him, Ramirez wasn't quite so enthusiastic about what the implications of joining them might be. If he went with them willingly, did that mean he was betraying Lord Galcian? He felt torn between his obligation of loyalty and his own dreams. There just didn't seem to be an easy way out of this dilemma.... If only there was some way to contact Lord Galcian... Did he even have an inkling of what had happened to him? When his sword and dagger were found, Ramirez was certain that Lord Galcian would suspect that something had happened to him, since he never went anywhere without them, but...how would he link them to the Blue Rogues? Ramirez knew that Lord Galcian knew that he was far too powerful to be overcome in normal combat... He sighed. It was all too confusing. Glancing over at the slumbering crew, his eyes came to rest on Vyse. His heart skipped a beat as he gazed at the man's sleeping body.  


/_He is truly handsome..._/  


Ramirez looked away, startled by this unbidden thought. /_...I'm too tired. The lack of sleep is turning me into a fool_,/ he thought to himself harshly, trying to crush the memory away. Ramirez shut his eyes tightly, but it was several hours before he finally drifted off into slumber.  


  


Elsewhere, back in the Grand Fortress, Galcian, the Grand Admiral of the Valuan Armada, was most displeased. His newest Admiral and his link to finding the Moon Crystals, Ramirez, had gone missing, and his sword and the hidden dagger only the two of them knew of had been found abandoned—and Galcian knew Ramirez would never willingly go anywhere unarmed. He felt it must have something to do with the escape of the Air Pirates and the "kidnapping" of Prince Enrique and his ship, the Delphinus—Galcian was not so sure that Enrique, with all his radical ideas, had really been kidnapped—but there was no proof to confirm his suspicions one way or another. Some of the other Admirals had suggested the possibility that he might be dead, but Galcian refused to accept that possibility without first seeing Ramirez's lifeless body with his own eyes. It was conceivable, Galcian mused, that Ramirez might have been taken prisoner by the Air Pirates, but that would mean that they had woefully underestimated their abilities. The best course of action, he decided, would be to find the Delphinus.  
  
"Lord Galcian?" The voice of one of his Admirals, Belleza, cut through his thoughts. "The Grand Fortress has been searched thoroughly, as you commanded, but I'm afraid there's still no sign of Ramirez anywhere."  


He nodded upon hearing the news. "I expected as much," he replied.  


Belleza regarded Galcian for a moment before voicing her next thought. "Lord Galcian... You don't think he was taken prisoner by the Vyse and the Air Pirates, do you?"   


"It is a possibility, and not one we should ignore," he stated, turning to face her.   


Belleza nodded. "Well, then, what are your orders, Lord Galcian?"   


"I want patrols to begin searching for the Delphinus immediately," he commanded.  


"Understood, Lord Galcian," Belleza replied, saluting. "I will also inform De Loco, Gregorio and Alfonso to be on the lookout as Vigoro and I fulfill your other commands, if you so desire."   


Galcian smiled coldly. "Make it so."  


  


  
Despite the time it had taken for him to fall asleep, Ramirez was up well before any of the others had awakened. Unable to fall back asleep, he had sat in a corner and brooded over his current situation.  


Fina awoke about half an hour later. Seeing that her 'big brother' was already awake, she decided to talk to him a bit before the others awoke.   


"Good morning!" she greeted him, cheerfully.   


Ramirez glanced up at her. "...Good morning," he replied at length.  


"...How are you doing?" she asked, her spirits dampened by his less than enthusiastic response.  


"Fina, I've been uprooted from the place where I belong and been tied down amongst my enemies," he replied evenly. "I would think that the answer to that question would be quite obvious, but it seems somehow you disagree."  


Fina blushed, knowing that she should have realized that, and that her desire to talk to her childhood friend had prompted the foolish question. Flustered, she began, "I...I didn't...I just..." The Admiral regarded her unemotionally, and that flustered her further into silence.  


"I would have thought that the Elders would have impressed into you not to do or say things when it's obvious that you should not do or say them," he commented with a frown. "The next thing I know, you'll have divulged to those Air Pirates our heritage."  


The blonde young lady's blush deepened, and bowing her head, she said meekly, "I...actually..."  


"You told them we're Silvites?" he demanded, a trace of anger entering his voice. Returning to a mere scowl, he continued, "Well, I suppose considering all that has been going on, they would have found out eventually about you...and considering you spoke last night as if we've known each other for a long time, they also know I'm a Silvite as well." He sighed, irritated but resigned, and shook his head. "I would have preferred that they did not know, but it can't be helped now. Still, I would have thought that you would have more sense than to tell strangers something that important. Or are you going to insist that you trust people you barely know?" The young Admiral shook his head again. "No matter how well you think you know someone, there will always be something about them that you don't know. That's precisely why you can't trust anyone. Though I somehow doubt you'll listen to me..."  


"...What are you going to do from now on?" she inquired quietly, trying to change the subject; her heart rebelled at his words, especially since at first she had been extremely reluctant to fully trust Vyse and everyone. It wasn't as if she had trusted them blindly from the start... They had proven themselves to her by saving her, and despite what he said about them only doing that to try to trick her, she was positive that Vyse and Aika were good, sincere people who would not intentionally deceive anyone. However, she knew that if she tried to tell Ramirez that, their conversation would only degenerate into an argument, and she definitely didn't want to get on her old friend's bad side.  


"What do you mean?" Ramirez queried, though he already knew what she meant.  


"Um... I mean...well, what are you going to do now? ...I'm sure that Vyse would let you join the crew, if you wanted..." she hesitantly replied.   


The young Admiral stared at the girl he had grown up with steadily. "'Join the crew'?" he repeatedly scornfully. "Perhaps I haven't made my allegiances clear enough, Fina. Otherwise you wouldn't have such ludicrous ideas."   


She looked away from him, clearly hurt. "...I...just..." she started to say, but thought better of it, remembering the other day.   


Ramirez frowned and stood. "I am going to take a walk," he announced flatly. "There's nowhere for me to go, so you needn't worry." With that, he left without another word.   


"What a _jerk_!!" Aika's voice exclaimed as soon as he was gone.   


Fina looked up, startled at the sudden noise. She relaxed, seeing Aika, who had just awoken, apparently.   


"I really can't stand that bastard!! You're like his family, for crying out loud, WHERE does he get off being so rude?!" Aika continued to rant, getting out of her sleeping bag.  


The teenaged Silvite sighed, shaking her head sadly.   


"You know what, Fina?! You should stand up to him! He's just walking all over you because he knows he can!!" Enrique and Vyse were getting up, awakened by Aika's tirade, but she didn't notice. "Next time he talks to you like that, say, 'Hey, you jerk, I don't have to take that from you! Now you apologize _right now_ before I get medieval on your ass!'!!"  


Vyse burst out laughing as Enrique looked rather shocked at Aika's choice of language.   


Fina looked a little surprised at that, at first, but then she smiled. "Thank you..." she murmured. "I feel a little better now."   


"Aika's got at-ti-tuuude," Vyse intoned before laughing again.   


Her cheeks turning pink, Aika snapped, "Vyse, you shut up!! It's your responsibility to go talk to Ramirez!"   


That made the rogue shut up. "My responsibility?" he repeated, mouth agape.   


Enrique cleared his throat, recovering from Aika's rant. "Well...you _were the one who brought him on board, Vyse," he pointed out politely.   
_

Vyse scratched the back of his head. "Right, right..." he acknowledged, embarrassed.   


"Well? What are you waiting for?!" Aika demanded when he didn't get up immediately. "Go talk to him, right now!!"   


"Okay, okay, I'm on it..." With that, he rose and exited the cave. The Silvite Admiral was not hard to seek out; Vyse found him near the pond where they had bathed the night before, staring intently out at the heavens.  


"Ramirez?" he called out, not wanting to surprise the man.   


His silver hair twitched, as if he had glanced behind him. "What do you want?" the Silvite swordsman called back.  


"Um, hey, I was thinking...maybe you shouldn't be so cruel to Fina... I mean, she is close to you, right?" Vyse asked him.   


Ramirez stiffened, then turned slowly and glared at Vyse. After a moment of uncertain tenseness, the handsome Admiral sighed irritably and ran a hand through his hair. "I suppose I should apologize to her," he muttered.  


Vyse was mildly surprised. For once, Ramirez had agreed to do something...   


The emerald-eyed Silvite turned to Vyse, frowning. "All right, I'll apologize to her," he submitted. "Is there anything else you wanted to talk to me about?"   


Vyse considered this for a moment. "Well... I know it hasn't been too long, but have you decided anything yet?" he questioned the other man.   


Ramirez gazed evenly and expressionlessly at the Blue Rogue, then turned that gaze back at the expansive sky. There had been a time in his life where he had been impressed with its boundlessness and fascinated by the opportunities for adventure and discovery that it offered. Seven years later, he knew better...that the sky was merely an empty void, that it only signified how disconnected people could be from morals and conscience, no matter how close they came to others. The thought was hardly comforting, but it at least reassured him that even though he had no choice but to stay with the foolish Air Pirate and his companions, by no means did it mean that he was an ally of theirs. "Being that I have no means to do anything else, I suppose it would be more convenient to travel with you as a crew member rather than a prisoner. However..."  


"Yeah?" Vyse prompted.  


Ramirez turned to the Air Pirate, his jade-colored eyes icy and slitted. "However," he continued, his face a stormy mask, "never consider me your ally. My allegiances are with Lord Galcian alone."  


Vyse sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I kinda noticed," he remarked.   


Ramirez made a face at the irreverent rogue and looked away, back into the sea of the sky.   


Vyse shrugged, and headed back to the cave. When he re-entered, Aika and the others looked up at him expectantly. Vyse pondered for a moment on how to word what he needed to tell them. After several long moments of fruitless pondering, he finally bit the bullet and said, "Hey, Ramirez is joining our crew. Is that okay?"   


Aika twitched visibly. "WHAT!?"  


"Oh, how wonderful!" Fina exclaimed, clasping her hands to her chest happily. "He gave me the impression he wouldn't!"   


Enrique also did not look displeased. "I do not see the harm in him joining," he stated plainly.  


Aika's view on the matter was clearly different, however.  


"He's a homicidal psychopath!!" she protested vociferously, and the others cringed; her voice probably carried a bit too well, and Ramirez wouldn't be thrilled at her descriptions of him. "And how do you know he won't betray us all?!"   


"Well," Vyse said, after recovering from her rant, "I can't know for certain what he'll do... We'll just have to trust him, right?"   


Aika growled fiercely and throttled the air, but even she recognized when it was pointless to argue something further. "You're the captain," she finally relented.  


  


  
Feeling strangely empty inside, Ramirez sighed and turned from the view to the forest. It was pure insanity, agreeing to join Vyse, but... He shook his head, dismissing that. He would simply have to put up with these idiots until he could get back to Valua. In the meantime...he supposed he was obligated to apologize to Fina. Ramirez sighed, irritated; why had he allowed himself to be bound, even with mere words, to the accursed rogue? He sighed again. Why couldn't things ever be simple? He simply didn't have a reason for acting the way he was.   


Before him, Vyse and the others appeared from out of the cave and approached him. The red-headed female rogue looked distinctly disgruntled, Prince Enrique seemed calm, and Fina appeared rather happy. Ramirez supposed Vyse had informed them that he was joining, although it seemed odd that Fina was so exuberant after he had been so cold to her...   


"Hey," Vyse greeted him. "I was just explaining to the others about what you were gonna do."   


Ramirez nodded, eyeing the others. "I figured..." he replied in a low voice. "And how have they taken it?"   
  
"They're right here, you can ask them directly," Vyse pointed out.   
  
The Admiral frowned slightly before redirecting his gaze to Fina and the others. "Well? How do you all feel about me joining the crew?"   


"I'm so happy!" Fina smiled.   


"I have no qualms with it," Enrique replied calmly.   


"This has to be Vyse's worst decision EVER," Aika grumbled.   


Ramirez sweatdropped faintly. "I see..." Shaking his head, he walked up to them. "Well then, I suppose we have no choice but to leave."   


"Right! Let's go!" Vyse smiled, waving everyone over to the ship and hoping desperately that Aika wouldn't continue to voice her dissatisfaction.  


  


  
"I still don't like this," Aika grumbled once they were all aboard the Delphinus and had taken off for Esperanza. "What's keeping him from stabbing us in the back?"   


Vyse sighed, realizing her silence was too good to hope for. After a moment's consideration, he shrugged and replied, "Nothing, I guess."   


Aika smacked him. "Vyse, I'm being serious!!" she snapped. "You have to take responsibility for him! You brought him home, so you're going to have to take care of him!"   


"Aika, he's not a stray puppy!" the young Blue Rogue protested. "Don't worry so much. I'm not stupid—I know he'll try something sooner or later. I'm keeping an eye on him. He won't pull anything while I'm around!"   


Aika's eyes narrowed as she made a face at him. "Oh?" she asked dryly. "Then you won't protest if I say you should make him share your room?"   


Vyse almost fell over. "What?! Share my room?!" he repeated. "Are you insane, Aika?"  


"Not half as insane as you for bringing him in the first place," the redheaded pirate rebutted. She took on her smiling cat face and added, "Besides, aren't you keeping an eye on him? If you two share the same room, wouldn't that make 'keeping an eye on him' a lot easier?"   


The taller Blue Rogue rolled his eyes, looking quite unhappy. "That's something entirely different..." he began, but Fina, who had been quietly watching until then, finally spoke up.   


"I agree with Aika!"   


'Almost', nothing; Vyse did fall over this time. From the floor, he said blankly, "Fi, Fina?"   


Fina bent over a little, looking a bit worried, but she nodded. "Ramirez and I..." she began haltingly, "...we've been mostly alone all our lives. Each Silvite had his or her own room, and if we wanted to communicate with each other, we didn't visit each other in person, we...well, it's a little difficult to explain, but it was very impersonal. If Ramirez shared a room with you, maybe...he'd get more comfortable being with other people?"   


Vyse smiled nervously, shutting his eyes. "Um, are you sure it'd be a good idea for him to share a room with me?"  


"Why wouldn't it be? After all, he won't pull anything while you're around!" Aika pantomimed the exuberant young Rogue mockingly.   


He made a face. "Ugh." Getting up from the floor, he ran a hand through his bangs and sighed. "What about Enrique? Couldn't Ramirez share a room with him?"   


"That wouldn't be right! Enrique isn't here to agree or disagree with that!" Fina insisted.   


"And here I was thinking he was the unlucky one to stick with Ramirez on the voyage to Esperanza," Vyse mumbled.   


"What was that, Vyse?" Aika teased, leaning in closer to him.   


He made another face, then sighed again. "Okay, Ramirez'll...stay in my room. I guess. It makes sense, seeing as I have the captain's quarters, and they're the biggest on the ship..."   


Aika blinked, surprised. /_I was just joking, I never thought he'd actually agree to it..._/   


"Oh, thank you, Vyse!" Fina beamed, looking extremely relieved. "Let's go tell him right now!"   


"Uh, Enrique is showing Ramirez around the ship right now, and I don't know where they are, so we should wait until they get back," Vyse stated quickly.   


Aika rolled her eyes. "Vyse, just go tell him already."   


Vyse frowned. "Hey, I'm the captain here! Who are you to tell me what to do?!"   


"Vyse, GO TELL HIM!"  


The Blue Rogue didn't need to be told thrice. He ran out of the captain's control room and slammed the door behind him.   


"Aika, you're awfully forceful," Fina commented, somewhat surprised.   


The carrot-topped rogue laughed. "It's the only way to get that stubborn boy moving!" she winked.   
  
Question marks almost audible, Fina stared at her friend, nonplussed.  


  


  
"Aika is a scary, scary girl," Vyse muttered, stalking the corridors of the Delphinus. "Although, I have to admit, I was just stalling..." He glanced up at the ceiling and held a hand to his chest, feeling sick. "Ugh...I'm not looking forward to giving Ramirez the cheery news..."  


"What news is this?" Ramirez's voice asked darkly from behind him. Vyse spun around quickly to see that Enrique and Ramirez had just turned the corner he'd passed a few steps back.   


"Um..." Vyse faltered, keeping his eyes on the ceiling.   


"Vyse?" Enrique voiced, watching the young captain curiously.   


Shaking his head, Vyse crossed his arms and lowered his eyes to the other two men, deciding to get it over with and say it all at once. "Ramirez, while you're on this ship, you're to share my quarters," he stated.   


The Silvite Admiral's jade eyes widened, then narrowed. "I see..." he said quietly. "Who decided this, and when?"   


"The girls, and just now," Vyse responded promptly. "You can blame them."   


"Mmph," Ramirez muttered, turning his head aside so that his silvery bangs hid his face from view. "I'm in no position to argue, so very well."   


Vyse sweatdropped at the silver-haired young man's unexpected pliancy. "Uh, okay," he smiled nervously. "I'll show you where my room is later."   


Ramirez didn't reply. Instead, he wordlessly went back the way Vyse had came back to the control room. Enrique and Vyse shared a puzzled glance, then quickly walked after him, joining him just as he entered.  


  


  
Although the others seemed wary of him but otherwise stress-free, Ramirez was certain he had the onsets of a migraine. Why was he being made to suffer like this? He swore in his heart that, no matter what happened, Vyse would die by his hand and his hand alone.  


Even as he nursed such dark thoughts, Ramirez set up a makeshift bed on the floor of Vyse's quarters. The options were to sleep on the floor or sleep in Vyse's bed with him, so of course the choice was clear.   


"You sure you're comfortable down there?" Vyse asked, watching him from his bed as he brushed his hair.   


"You want me to sleep with you?" Ramirez asked brusquely.   


"Ugh. Point."   


"Hmph."   


Vyse slipped the clear eyepatch off his head and set it on a table next to his bed, then stretched out and relaxed on the mattress, decked out in his pajamas. "So...what made you decide to join the crew, Ramirez?"   


"Temporary insanity."   


The Blue Rogue laughed at that until he realized the young Admiral wasn't joking. "Really?"   


"The choice was to be a thief or a prisoner. Although neither choice is appealing, at least as a thief I can move freely."   


"Move freely so you can kill me?" Vyse asked jokingly.   


Ramirez paused, as if considering what to say. With a deliberate motion, he stood. "About that..."   


Vyse had the sudden foreboding feeling he had said exactly the wrong thing. "What?"  


The Admiral narrowed his green eyes as he glared down at him. "I will kill you," he told him softly.   


Vyse sat up, staring at him, and said nothing. He didn't know what he could say.   


The white-haired Silvite stepped over his bedding and continued, "Yes, I'll kill you..." With sudden and surprising speed, Ramirez slammed his left hand just past Vyse's ear onto the wall and leaned in close to him, hissing, "I swear it! And only _I_ will be the one to do it, Vyse. I won't let anyone else kill you..."   


With that, he pulled away as suddenly as he had approached and turned his back to the stunned Air Pirate.   


"Good night," Ramirez stated nonchalantly as he laid down and drew the sheets and blanket over his slender body, as if nothing at all out of the ordinary had happened. He glanced over his shoulder and, with a slight smirk, added, "Sweet dreams..."  


Vyse didn't get a wink of sleep that night.  


  


  
"Vyse? Are you all right? You don't look so good," Fina noted the next morning, concerned.   


"What? Yeah, fine," the brunet Air Pirate mumbled, bags under his eyes. "That coffee I see over there?" he changed the subject even as he reached for the coffee pot.   


"Vyse, you've already had three mugs of it!" Aika reminded him—even she was getting worried.   


He responded with a yawn. "Couldn't sleep at all..." he muttered, pouring his fourth cup of coffee.   


"Did it have anything to do with Ramirez?" Enrique queried shrewdly.   


Vyse twitched and almost dropped his coffee mug. Across the room, Ramirez was quietly sipping a cup of tea. Upon hearing his name, he glanced up briefly, and his eyes met with Vyse's. For a second, the two young men stared at each other; then, Ramirez smirked slightly and cast his eyes downward once more.  


"...Not really," the captain of the Delphinus finally replied. "Hey, how long 'til we reach Esperanza?"   


Aika sighed, irritated, but didn't press the matter—it would be better to talk to Vyse about it when Ramirez wasn't around, she decided. "Another five or six hours, according to the map, provided we don't run into any trouble."   


"Great..." Vyse muttered, running a hand through his bangs.  


  


  
It was three hours later that Vyse couldn't stand it anymore. With the excuse that he was getting antsy from being inside for so long, Vyse handed the wheel to Aika and dragged Ramirez outside the bridge, at the top of the stairs, and turned around and glared at him.   


"What," the young pirate began angrily, "is your _problem_?!"  


"I could ask the same of you," Ramirez replied icily. "Is there any particular reason for this?"  


"Hmm, I don't know, maybe it's 'cause you _threatened to kill me?!_"   


Ramirez scowled, then smirked and chuckled. "I didn't threaten you," he corrected Vyse. "I promised you."   


Vyse sighed, irritated, but he started to get calmer regardless. "Same difference. How and when are you going to kill me, anyway? You're outnumbered and unarmed."  


The silver-haired Admiral shrugged. "It doesn't have to be today or tomorrow. I'm perfectly willing to wait. But remember, I won't let anyone else kill you. I want that pleasure all for my own."  


Vyse gaped at him. "Moons, Ramirez, you're a freak!"   


Ramirez glared at him from under hooded eyes.   


"Er, I mean that in the nicest way possible, of course," the Blue Rogue added hastily. When Ramirez's dark expression didn't change, Vyse grumbled, "Oh hell, don't give me that look. You started it with your death threats."  


"'You started it,'" Ramirez repeated derisively. "Are you a child? Can't you think up anything better than that?"   


"Oh come on, it's the truth! And what do you have to kill me for, anyway? I apologized for everything!" Vyse protested.   


With a noise of disgust, the white-haired Admiral snapped, "You think just because you apologized for it that it makes everything better? You're an idiot, Vyse."  


Vyse rolled his eyes. "I must be. I brought you with me."   


"Hmph."   


The brunet rogue frowned and sighed. This wasn't going well at all; wasn't he the one who said they should try to give Ramirez as few reasons to hate them as possible? "...I'm sorry," he submitted finally. "Okay? I'm sorry. Let's just set our differences aside for now, all right? "   


"Pleading for your life?"   


Vyse smirked. "Please. I'm doing this for Fina's sake. And I could kill you a lot more easily than you could kill me."   


Ramirez regarded him with a frown and a raised eyebrow. "Oh? Try it, then."   


"Already did. I had you unconscious, remember?" the rogue replied curtly. "If I wanted to, I could've slit your throat and gotten rid of you permanently. But I didn't. I let you live, and what's more, I've been cutting you a lot of slack for someone who works for the enemy. I didn't _have_ to offer to let you join the crew of the Delphinus. While it's true that Blue Rogues don't normally take prisoners, you'd make a great exception."  


The Admiral mentally noted that he also hadn't had to bring him along at all in the first place, but rather than commenting on that, he inquired, "...What do you want from me, then?"  


"I'm not asking you to like me or trust me or anything, no more than you have to. Just try to be a decent human being and don't try to kill me, or any of us."  


"But I'm not a human being, at least not one like you Arcadians," Ramirez pointed out. "I'm a Silvite, as Fina so thoughtfully told you. And I'm going to kill you."  


Vyse rolled his eyes, exasperated. "Aw, Moons..."  


"...As I said before, it doesn't have to be today," the shorter man stated quietly. "I'll make you a deal...Vyse. If, within one lunar cycle's time, you can convince me that you're not the same as other people, who selfishly kill to live and indulge their own fancies, then I'll forswear those words. But if you can't..."  


"...You'll continue to wait for a chance to kill me, right?" the Blue Rogue finished, considering Ramirez.  


"Correct."  


The reckless young pirate grinned and pounded Ramirez on the back. "Good enough for me. Welcome aboard, Rami!"   


Stunned by his nemesis' enthusiasm, the pale swordsman blinked. "...What?"   


"I said Welcome aboard!"   


"No, I meant...did you call me 'Rami'?"   


With a nonchalant shrug, Vyse replied, "Yeah. So?"   


Ramirez's expression darkened like the sky before a storm. "_Don't_ call me that."   


The brunet pirate chuckled. "Relax. I was just joking anyway. In any case, I'm glad we worked out this understanding."   


"My, you're trusting," the Admiral commented dryly.   


"I just don't have the time to deal with loose cannons. If you just promise to cooperate while staying on this ship as a crew member, we can put that incident behind us for now."   


"Mm," the young Silvite muttered in non-reply, casting his malachite green eyes away. "All right...agreed."  


"Good. Then it's settled."  


* * *

  
  
**NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal __Arcadia [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong.  
  
**Ayu:** The title of this chapter is a line from Aiba Yuuki of _Mugen no Ryvius_' image song, __Sacred Sacrifice. Full lyrics can be found at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!_, the link to which you can find below.  
  
**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com**  
Contact Ianthe of d.I: ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))  
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net))**_


	3. Chapter 03: Yasashisa, Toki ni ha Jama n...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo

**Chapter 3:** Yasashisa, Toki ni ha Jama ni Naru Orokasa  
(_Gentleness, Occasionally a Foolishness that Becomes a Hindrance_)

  
  
  
  


The rest of the trip was much less stressful for Vyse, and although he didn't tell the others what he and Ramirez had discussed, each of them understood what must have happened. The rest of the trip was uneventful, and when they reached Esperanza, though it was a dreary and hopeless town, Vyse directed his crew with his usual vigor and cheer. He and Aika would scout out the town to search for clues on how to breach the Dark Rift, and Fina and Ramirez would stay at the port with Enrique, who was once again horribly airsick.  
  
"I just need to sit down..." Enrique mumbled, dark circles under his eyes. "I'll be all right..." He abruptly doubled over, and had Fina not caught him and helped him down, the Prince of Valua would surely have collapsed to the ground. "Ugh..."   
  
Nearby, Ramirez was leaning against the wall, gazing up at the crimson-tinted sky away from his two companions. Although he appeared to be ignoring Fina and Enrique, in actuality he was paying close attention to the two.  
  
"There, there, Enrique, you'll be all right once you get used to it," Fina assured the young Prince with a comforting smile.   
  
"I hope you're right, Fina..." Enrique sighed. "I really hate this..."   
  
Fina sighed sympathetically. "I'll tell you what—why don't I give you a back rub?"   
  
"Why don't you sing for him?" The suggestion came so suddenly from Ramirez that at first Fina thought he wasn't talking to her.   
  
"What? Oh, no... I'm no good at singing," she protested, startled by the sudden proposal.   
  
"That's not true," he rebutted calmly, still not looking at her. "You're very good."   
  
"How would you know?"   
  
A low chuckle. "Back home..." Ramirez began, "you were always singing to yourself when you thought no one was listening...Fina."   
  
Fina's face turned bright red, and she stared down at her lap without reply.   
  
"Please, Fina," Enrique protested with a weak smile, "if it makes you uncomfortable, you don't have to sing for me..."   
  
"Sing for him, Fina," Ramirez interrupted, still not facing them, with the tone of an order. Continuing with a softer voice, he added, "...I'd like to hear that old melody again, myself."   
  
Fina smiled coquettishly, blushing down at her lap, and murmured, "...All right." Taking a deep breath and clearing her voice, the lovely Silvite softly sang, "Oto no nai mahiru, kaze ha tada akarui... Sukoshi nemutasou ni hanabira ga yureta... Nanigenai kono omoi—nee, hito ha donna kotoba de yonde iru no? Shiroi suna no tsuki, tojikometa hanashi wo hikari furasu you ni kikasete ne, sotto..."  
  
With a slight tremor, Fina's voice faded off, indicating the finish of the foreign song. She smiled shyly at Enrique, but only because she was too timid to look over at Ramirez, who still refused to face her.   
  
"You have a wonderful voice," Enrique smiled back, then winced and covered his mouth with one hand. "Ha...I was feeling better for a minute there..."   
  
"Thank you," Fina beamed. Casting her jade eyes timidly up at Ramirez, she addressed him, "Um...what did _you_ think, Ramirez?"   
  
"Fina." His voice was strangely terse. "Go fetch Vyse."  
  
"What? Why?" she asked, astounded by his sudden change of moods.   
  
"Look up at the sky and you'll understand."   
  
Puzzled, Fina did so, and to her horror, she saw what she had hoped never to see again, and failing that, to not see for a very, very long time:   
  
A Valuan flagship. Accompanying it were two battleships, and although they were not quite so ominous as the flagship, which Fina knew would belong to one of the Admirals of Valua, they were still threatening enough to cause worry.   
  
"That's..." Enrique muttered, also staring up at the sky, "...that's the Auriga...Uncle Gregorio's ship..."  
  
"Oh, my!!" Fina gasped, quickly rising to her feet and pressing her hands to her mouth. "Oh, my, could they really have found us already?!"   
  
"Regardless of whether they followed us here or not, once they see the Delphinus, they'll know we're here," Ramirez stated curtly. "So go and get Vyse. He's the one they'll want to see."   
  
"Yes, you're right!" Fina swiftly agreed before turning and scurrying off to search for the captain of the Delphinus.   
  
Enrique and Ramirez continued to watch the Auriga and the accompanying battleships move in closer to the Esperanza port. When they had almost reached the dock, the young Prince quietly said, "I hope I don't have to fight Uncle Gregorio..."  
  
"Sentiments like that," Ramirez stated sharply, "will get you killed in battle."   
  
Discouraged, Enrique lowered his eyes. "You're probably right...but..."   
  
"But?"   
  
"...But, I don't want to have to fight someone I care about. You understand, don't you?"  
  
Slowly, Ramirez turned to face the blond Prince, his eyes like shards of frozen emerald. "No," he stated flatly.  
  
Enrique regarded him grimly. "There's absolutely no one you care about? No one you'd like to avoid fighting at any cost?" he insisted.   
  
Ramirez snorted derisively. "Are you referring to Lord Galcian?" he queried coldly.   
  
The Prince of Valua didn't answer.   
  
The Silvite's eyes narrowed slightly. "I don't have to worry about such a thing. Because I will always be on his side."  
  
Enrique shook his head. However, before he could respond, a conveyor boat from the Auriga arrived at the docks, and a messenger stepped out. Ramirez, not caring to be discovered just yet, slipped into the shadows of the overhanging cliffs, watching silently as the helmeted soldier walked purposefully toward the young Prince, bearing an ornate scroll, likely a message from the Ironwall Admiral.  
  
"Prince Enrique," the messenger declared, taking no notice of Ramirez thanks to the limited vision his helmet afforded him. "Thank Heavens you're all right. I had thought to simply relay these demands to the Air Pirates who had kidnapped you, but if you are alone, that makes things much simpler. Please, quickly come with me, so that we may return to the Auriga."  
  
"What?" Enrique asked, stunned by the sudden declaration. Wincing as he straightened, forcing himself to swallow his airsickness, he shook his head and said, "I am afraid I cannot do that. I will, however, accept your message."  
  
The messenger obediently handed him the scroll, but even as Enrique unrolled it, both he and Ramirez were given the impression that the Valuan soldier was staring in surprise at the Prince of Valua. "But...you've been kidnapped," he reminded the blond young man before he began to read. "Don't you wish to be rescued?"  
  
Enrique smiled pensively and almost apologetically at the soldier, but at that moment, Vyse and the others came running up, saving him from any difficult explanations.   
  
"Damn! Valua really is here!" the young captain swore, glaring at the docking ship.  
  
"Vyse," the Prince stated, relieved by the arrival of support. "This soldier has relayed a message from the Auriga."  
  
"What? Oh," Vyse said, turning his eyes to the Valuan messenger, who stiffened upon being noticed. "Well, what's the message say?"  
  
The blond young man didn't reply at first, speedily perusing the message in his hands, and after a moment, he smile again, this time wistfully. With a small laugh, he said, "It seems Uncle Gregorio wishes for me to give myself up."  
  
"'Uncle'?" Aika repeated curiously.  
  
"Ah, Gregorio has had a large hand in my upbringing ever since my father passed away," Enrique explained. "Although he is not really my uncle, I've come to refer to him as my uncle." Returning to the letter, he stated, "His demands are that I am to be returned and you are to give yourselves up by tomorrow morning, or he will regrettably open fire onto the city." With an equally regretful sigh, the blue-eyed Prince rolled up the letter again and turned to the messenger. "Thank you," he said politely. "You've done well. However, I am not returning to Valua. I was not kidnapped; I joined Vyse of my own free will. You may return to the Auriga and tell Uncle Gregorio that."  
  
The still confused soldier saluted, not knowing what else to do, and turned about face and returned to his small conveyer boat.  
  
"You sure gave him a lot to report, Enrique," Aika commented. "What if this Gregorio guy attacks because we refused to surrender?"   
  
The young prince shook his head. "Uncle Gregorio would not do that," he stated firmly. "He said he would not attack until tomorrow morning, so he will not attack until tomorrow morning. Gregorio is the most honorable man I have ever known; we can trust his word."  
  
"Regardless of whether Gregorio's word can be trusted or not," Ramirez spoke dryly as he stepped out from the shadows, causing all the others to jump in surprise, "you all have many preparations to make."   
  
"Where were you before now?!" Aika demanded.   
  
The silver-haired Admiral shrugged and indicated the shadowy corner in which he'd been skulking. "Over there. Didn't you notice me?"   
  
"Whatever," the redheaded rogue exclaimed, exasperated. "I bet you're happy, anyway. If we lose, then you're home-free, aren't you?"   
  
Ramirez's eyes narrowed. "I won't bother explaining myself to you," he stated icily.  
  
"Ramirez...?" Fina queried, taking a step forward.  
  
"After all, I suppose the thing known as 'honor' doesn't exist in a pirate's vocabulary," he continued, ignoring her.  
  
Aika scowled and placed her hands on her hips. "Well, what would _you_ know about honor? You betrayed your own people, and joined with the Valuans!"  
  
Ramirez's handsome features darkened like the vast rift howling through the sky, and instinctively, he twitched his hand as if to draw his sword. His expression changed when he remembered that his sword was still somewhere in the Grand Fortress, and he turned away. "You don't know anything."   
  
"Then enlighten us," Vyse challenged him, crossing his arms.   
  
Ramirez glared at the young pirate, his eyes ice. The two stared each other down for a long moment before the silver-haired Admiral finally said, "You wouldn't understand even if I told you."   
  
"How do you know that? Try us!" Vyse snapped, not breaking the gaze.  
  
"People are all stupid that way," Ramirez stated, turning away. "Except, of course, for one man."   
  
Rolling his brown eyes, the blue-clad rogue asked, "Are you ever going to get over your Galcian obsession?"   
  
Ramirez ground his teeth together, his hand twitching again. "As I said before..." the wrathful Silvite stated quietly. He turned and glared again at Vyse with the intensity of a towering conflagration. "I'll kill you."  
  
"Yeah, whatever, like I haven't heard that before," Vyse scoffed, though the others looked seriously put off. "How are you gonna kill me without a weapon?"  
  
Ramirez stared at him with a disguised expression, then slowly and deliberately walked up to Vyse. Aika, Fina, Enrique and Vyse all watched him curiously, not understanding what he had in mind. Ramirez stopped about half a foot in front of Vyse, and the two regarded each other for a split second before Ramirez connected his fist to Vyse's jaw with a vicious punch.  
  
"_Don't_," Ramirez stated frigidly as he cracked his knuckles, "underestimate me."   
  
Vyse cursed loudly as he was knocked backward from the force, landing in Fina's arms.   
  
"Dammit, Ramirez, are you trying to pick a fight?!" Aika shouted, moving into a fighting position.   
  
"It's as I said," he replied, still glaring down at Vyse. "_Don't_ underestimate me."   
  
"Let it go, Aika," Vyse said with a wave of his hand, wiping at his mouth with the other hand. Smiling grimly, he got to his feet and faced Ramirez. Staring each other down, Vyse continued, "First rule of thumb, Ramirez: crew members shouldn't hit their captains."   
  
"You tell him, Vyse!" Aika cheered, though Fina and Enrique were looking   
  
"And the implied 'or else' is?" Ramirez queried, ignoring her.   
  
Vyse smirked, his expression growing darker. "Or else...they're made to clean out the bathrooms."   
  
Everyone tripped, twitching.   
  
"Yes, I think that's an appropriate punishment!" the captain of the Delphinus continued cheerfully. "Hmm, let's see...first of course are the toilets. They've gotten kinda dirty, so you'd better scrub 'em until they shine! Then there's the sinks; I wanna see my reflection in those suckers! Speaking of reflections, don't forget the mirrors—oh, and the urinals, too!!"  
  
Ramirez stared, rendered speechless.  
  
"Well? What are you waiting for?" Vyse grinned mischievously. "You hit your captain, so that's your punishment! Get a move on and start working!"   
  
The silver-haired Admiral cast him a glare of utter loathing before stalking away to the Delphinus, his entire being radiating hatred.   
  
Aika turned to Vyse. "Vyse, that was...really friggin' cool!!"  
  
Vyse laughed maniacally. "You know it!!"   
  
As the two lorded their wit, Fina glanced after Ramirez, worried. It seemed as if there was a little progress coming along; was it all coming undone? Or, she thought as she averted her mint-green eyes, had there never been any progress to begin with...?  
  
"You look worried, Fina," Enrique said in a low tone. Fina looked up, surprised, to see him standing next to her, looking concerned. "To tell you the truth, I am too. About Uncle Gregorio, and about Ramirez as well..."   
  
"Mm..." Fina regarded the ground sadly. In the background, Aika and Vyse were settling down and beginning to listen. "I wish...I wish he wouldn't be so hostile," she whispered, tears forming. "If...if only he were the same person I used to know... I'd give anything, anything at all, to have my old friend back..."   
  
Aika and Vyse shared a concerned glance, and the latter walked up to the softly weeping young woman. "Hey...Fina..." he said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I guess I got a little carried away there. If you want, I'll go apologize to him..."   
  
Fina shook her head. "No...Ramirez _did_ strike you, so it's only fitting...but...I just wonder what happened to him...and what I can do to help..."   
  
Vyse smiled gently. "Fina, you're a good person, aren't you?"   
  
Fina blushed at the compliment. "Thank you..." she murmured softly, a little cheered by his support, but still concerned. "I wonder if there's anything I can do for him..."   
  
"Bah, he's a lost cause," Aika scoffed, but Vyse looked thoughtful.   
  
"Anyone would get mad after that," he stated. "Besides, he and I already agreed that if I can prove to him I'm different from everyone else he's met, he won't kill me."   
  
Aika arched an orange eyebrow. "And you believed him?"   
  
Vyse stared over at her. "Why not?"   
  
Aika opened her mouth to reply when he quickly added, "No ranting about how Ramirez is a psycho! We've all already heard that one!"   
  
She shook her head. "If you die, it's your own damn fault, but if I die too, I'm haunting you forever!"   
  
Vyse had to laugh at that. "If I'm dead, how can you haunt me?"  
  
"I'll haunt your ghost!" she snapped.   
  
Even Fina and Enrique, and then Aika, laughed at the absurdity of her statement.   
  
"So what will you do, Vyse?" Enrique queried after they had calmed down.   
  
The brunet youth considered the question, then nodded. "I'll let him stew for a while, since he _does_ have a lesson to learn," he said. "Then I'll go help him clean the bathroom and talk to him."   
  
"What if he won't talk to you?" Fina queried.   
  
Vyse laughed nervously. "I'll...deal with that if it happens."  
  
  
  
Almost an hour later, Ramirez was sullenly nearing completion of his task. Why did he have to do as Vyse said? Even if he was outnumbered and unarmed, he could easily take all of the fools, even if the miscellaneous crewmembers Vyse had recruited and positioned around the Delphinus came to help. Yet here he was, scrubbing the walls of a shower stall.  
  
"May you never know how I've fallen, Lord Galcian," the young swordsman muttered to himself, wiping suds off his brow. /_But this humiliation now will make my revenge later all the sweeter,_/ he added mentally, smiling grimly. Yes, Vyse would pay for his crimes—insulting Lord Galcian, insulting him, treating him as a subordinate, manipulating his feelings...  
  
His mirthless smile melted away, and Ramirez brooded on how that bath with Vyse had somehow temporarily skewed his perceptions. In his confusion, he had actually agreed to join the group! Granted, he had had his reasons, his disclaimers, but it didn't change the fact that it had happened. The white-haired swordsman didn't know what his mentor would say if he knew about this, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know. There surely must have been other, better solutions, that some practically applied thought could have revealed... He only hoped that, now that he had trapped himself into his current situation, he could find a way to manipulate it for the good of his lord. It was by Lord Galcian's side alone that he belonged; there was no other place in the world where he had any place. All others were selfish, self-centered, greedy, thoughtless... Even if they didn't show it at first, in the end it was always like that...no matter how many times he had let down his guard, to try to risk trusting others in the hope that the first time he had been betrayed had been a mere fluke, he had been severely disappointed. Galcian was the only one who had never done so, in all of the seven years since they had first met... Still, all his dedicated service couldn't erase those memories of those who had used him, laughing the entire time, and as he was once again disgraced by this punishment, his past indignities once again rose to conscious thought. Bitterly, Ramirez scrubbed the tiles harder, as if scouring the porcelain would somehow scour his painful memories as well.  
  
/No one who has crossed me has ever gone unpunished_,_/ he thought dourly. /I will not allow Vyse to be the first./ Tightening his hand into a fist, he pounded against the wall and snarled, "I will not!!"  
  
"You won't what?"   
  
Ramirez glanced over his shoulder quickly at Vyse, who had entered unnoticed. He raised an eyebrow at the sight of him—Vyse was wearing plastic gloves and an apron, and he was carrying rags, scouring pads and a bucket of soapy water. "What in the Moons are you..." Ramirez trailed off.   
  
Vyse grinned. "Came to help you out," he chirped. "Not complaining, are you?"   
  
With a slight scowl, Ramirez shook his head. "Are you making fun of me?" he queried guardedly.   
  
The handsome rogue shook his head. "Of course not." He paused for a moment, and then changed the subject. "What were you yelling about, anyway?"   
  
Without stopping to think of what to say, Ramirez muttered, "None of your business."   
  
Vyse shrugged. "All right, then…" He kneeled down, and started getting to work on a neighboring stall.  
  
Though he was no longer in sight, Ramirez could still hear Vyse, and he raised his voice slightly to ask, "Why are you helping me, anyway?"   
  
"Because I'm a nice guy."   
  
"No, really."   
  
"What, you don't believe me?" Vyse laughed a little, then said, "Regardless of their position, people on a ship help each other."   
  
The Silvite swordsman didn't know what to say, so he decided to say nothing.   
  
Vyse chuckled a bit and commented, "Doing this brings back memories..." Without waiting for Ramirez to show interest or disinterest, he continued, "Whenever I got caught, my dad would make me clean out the bathroom. It was almost always messy, so it wasn't a pleasant job. It usually inspired me not to get caught the next time around."  
  
Ramirez smiled a bit at that in spite of himself. "That sounds like you—working harder to not get caught, I mean."  
  
"And what do you mean by that?" Vyse asked jovially.  
  
"It sounds just like you to get into trouble."   
  
The Blue Rogue laughed at that. "Hey, what about you? Don't tell me you never did anything bad as a kid!"   
  
There was a long moment of silence, until Vyse leaned over and peeked into the shower stall next to his, puzzled. Ramirez was still working, but he was scowling at the tiles. "Ramirez?"   
  
"What?" His tone was morose.   
  
The Air Pirate blinked, growing concerned. "Something wrong? Did I say something weird?"   
  
With a sigh, the silver-haired swordman shook his head. "It's nothing."   
  
"Hey, you gotta be kidding me!" Vyse protested, frowning. "You went from zero to depressed in .2 seconds! It's not healthy to keep your feelings to yourself. If you want to talk to me about anything, I swear by everyone and everything I hold dear I'll never tell anyone else."   
  
"Hmph." Despite his standoffish expression, Ramirez felt a bit better upon hearing that, though he couldn't understand why; hadn't he just been brooding over how he would not accept this humiliation from the Blue Rogue? But his bitter memories never failed to depress him, and that loosened his tongue just a bit. "It's just that...I don't really have a lot of happy memories from my childhood."  
  
"I'm listening."   
  
The Admiral paused, unsure of how to voice himself, and whether he should even say anything to the man he had sworn to kill. "I..." he faltered. "No...you wouldn't understand."  
  
Vyse rolled his eyes. "Gee, where have I heard that before? C'mon, I'm not gonna laugh or anything. And I probably understand a lot better than you think I do."   
  
The white-haired Silvite paused for a moment, then shrugged a bit, reasoning that the Air Pirate wouldn't be alive long enough to spread around anything he told him. True, he had a lunar cycle, but that was merely borrowed time, and Ramirez doubted he would be convinced of anything by the time it was over. It went against his better judgment, but his melancholy got the better of him, and he chose to speak at least semi-freely. "It's just...difficult to discuss." He paused for a moment, then continued, "Ah...I suppose you should understand that Silvites are not a..._copious_ race. Fina and I are the only ones of our age in all the Great Silver Shrine, and we are the youngest there..."  
  
"Must have been lonely," Vyse sympathized.   
  
Ramirez shook his head, encouraged for the first time in years to speak his mind on his original home. "You have no idea. Each Silvite has his or her own personal room, and while I suppose this is good for privacy, it effectively isolates us from each other. Although, the Great Silver Shrine really is nothing but a collection of rooms; there are no places to socialize or congregate."  
  
Vyse watched Ramirez speak without interrupting. When he stopped speaking, the brown-haired pirate prompted, "What about your parents? Didn't they spend time with you?"  
  
"My parents..." Ramirez's expression clouded with the pain of the unearthing of long-buried memories. "I don't even know who they are..."  
  
"...I'm sorry." The Blue Rogue was stunned; how could he not know his own parents? "What...happened to them?"  
  
Ramirez stepped back and leaned against the opposite wall, staring up at the ceiling. "I've never known my father...he could be any of the Elders, I suppose, or none of them. No one has ever told me...and my mother..." He looked away, clenching a fist; he would stop here, but Vyse's arrogant challenge and his own pride and pain prompted him to speak on. "My _biological_ mother... She died shortly before I was born—I was brought into existence from her dead body... And so, I've never known her, either..."  
  
"Geez..." Vyse, not knowing what else to do or say, stepped into the stall with Ramirez and placed an arm over his shoulders. The Silvite shrugged off his arm with a sharp glare, but that didn't dissuade the Blue Rogue from sincerely continuing, "I'm so sorry... What about Fina? You grew up with her—you must have good memories with her, right? She has lots of good memories of you, according to her."  
  
"...Let's talk about something else."  
  
Vyse nodded. "I understand how you must feel."  
  
Ramirez instantly scowled, baring his teeth in an infuriated grimace. "You couldn't possibly understand how I feel!" he snarled, glaring. "When I first came to this world, because of my naïveté, everyone I met used me without a second thought—except for Lord Galcian. He took me in and taught me the truth of this world, and how to become stronger. He is the father I've never known. So _don't_ give me your pity. I'd rather die!!"  
  
Vyse backed away out of the stall, surprised by his sudden passion, and then regarded him with new understanding. "Okay," he said softly. "But I want you to know that you're not alone. We're here, for whenever you want to meet us."  
  
With a disgusted noise, Ramirez glowered at his feet and walked out of the stall. "I'm not a child—you needn't patronize me. I know I'm an unwelcome presence."  
  
"If you were unwelcome, would you be a part of the crew?" Vyse questioned.  
  
Ramirez growled and changed the subject. "You'll be fighting Gregorio tomorrow."  
  
"Yeah. Wouldn't you be glad if he beat us?" Vyse joked. "You could go back to Galcian, then."  
  
"Not really," Ramirez muttered darkly. "If you lost and were recaptured, you would certainly be submitted to a formal execution, and I would be deprived of the pleasure of killing you myself."  
  
Vyse sweatdropped, not having expected him to say that but feeling as if he should have. "Gee, I feel so reassured."  
  
"No one has the right to your life but me."  
  
The young rogue raised an eyebrow. "Getting possessive, aren't you?" he commented.  
  
In a beat, Ramirez changed the subject again. "Aren't you nervous?"  
  
"About what?" the brunet uttered, distracted by the sudden new question.  
  
"The battle tomorrow. Gregorio is the second Admiral of the Valuan Armada. His nickname is the Ironwall Admiral, and as the name implies, his defense is virtually impregnable. There's a good chance you'll lose. Aren't you nervous?"  
  
"Well, now that you mention it..." Vyse laughed nervously, but he shook his head with a confident smile. "But no, not really. I mean, what's the point? If you get worried and start obsessing over things like that, then you'll end up making the things you're worried about real. So I don't worry."   
  
Ramirez frowned. "You're an idiot."  
  
"Do you get off on calling me that? You've said it so much..."  
  
"Only because it seems you need constant reminder of the fact."  
  
"Weren't you the one who wanted to kill me so badly?" Vyse queried, getting a little exasperated. They had been getting along so well before Ramirez overreacted, too... "You yourself said if I lost, you'd lose your chance to kill me yourself. So why aren't you rooting for me?"  
  
"If you can't beat Gregorio, you'll never be able to defeat me. Don't disappoint me, Vyse. It would be unsatisfying to kill you so easily..." Ramirez turned his back to his rival and walked away calmly.  
  
/_...Creepy,_/ Vyse thought as he watched him leave. It was only until Ramirez was gone that Vyse realized he'd been left to finish cleaning the bathroom.  
  
  
  
Ramirez made his way back to the quarters that he and Vyse shared. Once there, he stripped off his gloves, military jacket and boots, leaving on his undershirt and pants, and laid down on the bedding that was still there from the night before. He felt tired and somewhat depressed. Thinking of his childhood always brought him nothing but pain, but this time Ramirez knew it was because he felt strangely guilty about speaking to Vyse that way. It seemed as if Vyse really had cared what he had to say. Ramirez shook his head and sat up. He knew should dismiss it as a ploy to gain his trust and muddle his thoughts, but, still...  
  
Standing up and walking over to the window, Ramirez sang softly to himself, "Itsuka shiru toki ga kuru no? Mune no itami wo... Soshite ima yori yasashiku naru no ne... Atatakai kono omoi—nee, hito ha donna namae de yonde iru no? Shiroi suna no tsuki, mabushikute mienai tooi mirai no koto kikasete ne, sotto..."   
  
Despondently, he watched the clouds move swiftly by in the twilight sky. That song brought back so many memories, some good and some bad, but all now so painful...   
_  
"Hahaue, won't you sing that song for me again? Please?"_   
_  
She had smiled down at him with that beautiful smile of hers, always so kind, always so sad. "Itsuka shiru toki ga kuru no? Mune no itami wo... Soshite ima yori yasashiku naru no ne..." she sang softly, the beginning of the second half of that song she always sang to him and Fina. However, there she stopped and gazed up at the planet Arcadia, around which the Silver Moon revolved, and in turn over which their home, the Great Silver Shrine, hung. "I wonder how the people of that world see us, Ramirez? Do they remember that we are here? Do they remember this song?" Stroking his hair gently, the way she always used to, she continued, "One day, before I die, I would like to visit that world, even for only a day..."_   
_  
"Hahaue!" he'd said in his childish innocence. "I'll take you there someday!"_   
_  
She had laughed, not unkindly. It was only many years later that he realized that saying that must have made her so sad... "I would like that, Ramirez. It would be so wonderful—you and I and Fina could all go there and see with our own eyes the humans of Arcadia... The humans that the rest of our kind so detest..."_   
_  
Hearing her talk like that always made him sad, and if he were sad, she would become sad. So, instead, young Ramirez smiled up at her and rested his head on her lap, an ancient Silvian sign of trust and love. "Hahaue, sing for me?" he requested._  
  
_She smiled down at him and stroked his hair, a symbol of the return of that trust and love. "The same song as always?"_   
_  
"Yes, sing '_Hiru no Tsuki_' for me," he'd replied, closing his eyes drowsily._   
_  
"Atatakai kono omoi... Nee, hito ha donna namae de yonde iru no?" Her voice was so beautiful, and hearing that lovely song again had lulled him to sleep—a comforting sleep that he never knew by himself in his cold, empty room..._   
  
Ramirez snapped out of his reverie violently as he heard someone enter the room. "Who's there?!" he demanded, instinctively reaching for his sword, though he knew it was not with him.   
  
"It's just me, Ramirez," Vyse replied, shutting the door behind him as he walked in. "You left me to finish the bathroom."   
  
In spite of himself, the Silvite let the corners of his mouth quirk upwards. "Is that all you're complaining about?" he questioned, amused.   
  
Vyse stared and smiled back. "It's rare to see you smile like that," he commented. "You should do it more often."   
  
Immediately Ramirez turned away, forcing off the mirth.   
  
"Hey, don't be like that," Vyse protested, walking over to him. "I wasn't making fun of you or anything."   
  
"What should I do for the battle tomorrow morning?" Ramirez queried without emotion, completely ignoring Vyse's statement.   
  
The handsome young brunet regarded Ramirez for a moment before shaking his head and sighing. "Is war the only thing you think about?" he questioned him.   
  
"No," Ramirez muttered. He didn't elaborate.   
  
Vyse smiled resignedly as he placed his fists on his hips. "Anyway, don't worry about tomorrow," he said with a wink. "That's our turn to show you our power!"   
  
"Hehh..." Ramirez smiled ironically and looked away. "I'll look forward to it."   
  
"Great!" Vyse grinned. "The only thing to make this occasion complete is...FOOD!"   
  
"What?" the green-eyed swordsman uttered, turning around in surprise just before Vyse grabbed his shoulder and pulled him towards the door.  
  
"C'mon, you haven't had anything but tea all day! You must be starving! I know I am!" Vyse cheered. Ramirez, admitting to himself that he was somewhat hungry, broke away briefly to pull on his cast-away clothing, and then allowed himself to be led away.  
  
  
  
Although he hadn't engaged in any conversation, and although there was a serious battle to be fought the next day, dinner was boisterous and cheerful. Vyse, Aika, Fina and Enrique discussed what should be done and how not to worry about it until it came, and all the while, Ramirez quietly watched, amazed at how nonchalant they were about it. It was as Vyse had said—what would come would come, so for the moment, they wouldn't worry about it. It was also probably to help cheer up Enrique, who, Ramirez noted, was considerably stressed over fighting Gregorio.  
  
Returning to the quarters again after dinner, Ramirez stripped down to his pants and undershirt again and resumed gazing out the window. Night had fallen quickly, and the stars were visible in the parts of the sky not obscured by the dark rift.  
  
/_Stars... That's all that my sky was, back then..._/ he mused, trying to pick out some of the constellations. /_That is, when I wasn't looking down at Arcadia._/ He sighed. /_It's funny. I wanted so badly to see this world..._/ he reflected. /_But, now that I'm here... I feel as out of place as always. Perhaps there is no place for me, in heaven or earth...._/  
  
Before Ramirez could sink into depression, Vyse called to him from behind. "Hey, whatcha doin'?" he queried as he walked up next to the emerald-eyed Silvite and turned his gaze up at the night sky. "Stargazing?"  
  
Ramirez merely nodded in assent, not diverting his gaze from the night sky.  
  
"Say, how did the stars look from where you lived?" Vyse asked, turning to face him. "Where exactly are you and Fina from, anyway? I mean, I know you're Silvites, but where in the world do you live?"  
  
Ramirez gave him a curious look, then said, "Someplace high up. As such, they were brighter," the silver-haired man stated, purposefully vague. "But..."  
  
"But?" Vyse urged a bit.  
  
"There's something...different here. Perhaps it's because you have to make an extra effort to make out the constellations..." the Admiral said softly.  
  
Vyse grinned a bit. "Oh, really? I bet stargazing would be really easy for me at your hometown, then. I've been doing it since I was a kid, and I know a lot about the stars and constellations."  
  
"Hn..." Ramirez glanced at Vyse, then returned to stargazing once more.  
  
"Do you have a favorite constellation?" the Air Pirate questioned after a few seconds of silence—it was becoming obvious that he was searching for a topic of conversation.  
  
"I think...." The Silvite closed his eyes, trying to decide. At length he replied, "I think I like Wilwarin, the Butterfly, best... I once read that you can always see it, even on Arcadia. It never sets, but wanders the sky forever..."  
  
"Really?" Vyse queried, surprised. "I'm kinda shocked that a guy like you would be that romantic."  
  
Ramirez's face flushed slightly. "I..." he started, but then stopped, clearly embarrassed.  
  
The ship captain, realizing he'd made his companion uncomfortable, quickly added, "It's not like that's a bad thing or anything. It's just...I didn't expect it."  
  
Attempting to take the focus off of himself, the Admiral asked Vyse, "How about yourself? What is your favorite?"  
  
"Umm..." The young pirate glanced up at the sky as if to confirm it. "I'd have to say...probably...yeah, definitely Michaol."  
  
"Michaol?" Ramirez repeated, startled into staring over at Vyse. "The Fallen Angel? Why?"  
  
The Blue Rogue shrugged, grinning a bit sheepishly. "You remember the story behind that constellation, right? Michaol didn't really do anything wrong, did he? At least, I don't think he did. Just because Michaol refused to do the bidding of God that one time, he got kicked out of Heaven...I always thought he got a raw deal. All kids have to find their own path; why shouldn't it be the same for angels?" As an afterthought, he added, "Besides, I always thought he was cool."  
  
Ramirez took this in thoughtfully. "'Angels who have fallen from the heavens have no choice but to become demons...'" he murmured to himself.  
  
"Eh?" Vyse looked at Ramirez quizzically. "Did you say something?"  
  
"Just an old idiom," he muttered, staring back up at the crescent moon. He deliberated for a few seconds, then sighed and added, "...Vyse? I...about earlier...when we were talking about our respective childhoods...I...was less than polite. It's a touchy subject for me. Just don't bring it up again."  
  
"I guess your childhood wasn't very happy..." Vyse murmured, more to himself than to the other man. He looked over at Ramirez and smiled. "All right. I won't bring it up, if it upsets you."  
  
"It's just...I really...don't have a lot of good memories," Ramirez continued in a strained voice, gazing away, his forced apology making him talk more than he had intended. "When...when I got punished as a child, I...I was locked in my room...without any contact with anyone...for twenty-four hours. I...was given food and such, but always impartially—I never saw or heard anyone else during those times...and..." He broke off immediately, overcome by a maelstrom of emotions.  
  
Vyse stared at him in shock. "They locked you up? Just left you alone for a _whole day_?" he cried, incredulous.  
  
Ramirez's left hand twitched, his right hand's grasp on the windowsill tightening. "I don't...know why I bothered to tell you something like that," he muttered in a low voice. "When it has nothing to do with anything...and when you couldn't possibly understand..."  
  
Vyse took a step backward, but did not retreat farther than that. "You're always saying that.... 'You can't understand', 'You can never understand'. I might not know the extremes of your experience, but I can understand it!" he said, unusually serious. "Because I am a compassionate person. I don't think there's a kind-hearted person in the world who wouldn't understand, even just a little."  
  
Ramirez didn't reply at first; he didn't know what to say.  
  
/_He looks so sad, standing there..._/ the brunet youth thought, gazing at the other man. /_When I was upset as a kid, Mom would always give me a hug..._/  
  
Although every rational nerve in his body told him it was a bad idea, he moved closer to Ramirez and hugged him. Before the other man could protest, he withdrew from the embrace. "I thought you needed a hug," he said, feeling rather foolish. "But, please, remember, that you're not alone—and you've never been alone. You had Fina when you were a kid, and you have the rest of the world now. There'll always be someone who's willing to listen to you and try to understand, if you only give them a chance..."  
  
Ramirez wouldn't look at him—he was just staring at his feet. But Vyse could still see his face was crimson. He had half-expected the Silvite to hit him again. But Ramirez just...stood there. Vyse wondered if he had made a huge faux pas.  
  
"...What did you do a thing like that for?" the Silvite Admiral finally queried dully, his snowy bangs hiding his face.  
  
"Because you needed a hug. I just said so," Vyse said, relieved that he hadn't broken Ramirez's brain.  
  
Ramirez turned away, wrapping his arms around himself. For some reason, his chest felt constricted and he was beginning to have trouble breathing... "Don't do it again," he choked out. "I don't like being touched."  
  
Vyse stared at the silver-haired man. "All right. I'm sorry, then," he apologized. Inwardly, though, Ramirez's behavior troubled him. /_He really has a lot of issues...but I'm not gonna bring that up now,_/ he mused.  
  
Ramirez kept his eyes, half-lidded, on the floor. All he could think of were those two lines: "_This warm feeling_—_please, what names do people call it?_"  
  
"Well," Vyse spoke suddenly, breaking the silence, "I'm gonna go to bed. I don't want to be caught dead tomorrow..."  
  
"Right," the silver-haired Admiral muttered, shutting his eyes. "I'll do the same, then..."  
  
Vyse merely shrugged, moving over to his bed to change his clothes.  
  
Ramirez started to feel a bit faint as the sound of the Blue Rogue stripping, so he quickly sat down on his bedding. He had no bed clothing, so Ramirez figured what he was wearing now was good enough. Lying his head down on the pillow, Ramirez felt the heat in his face and could not understand it for the life of him. He'd never felt this way before, and he had no idea why he was beginning to now.  
  
Having finished changing, Vyse put out the light in the room and climbed into bed. Before succumbing to sleep, he called out to his 'roommate', "Good night, Ramirez."  
  
Ramirez mumbled something in reply, but he wasn't sure what.  
  
Although the gentle and almost unnoticeable rocking of the ship in the air currents was quite somnolent, setting Vyse adrift the waves of sleep almost immediately, Ramirez could not sleep. All he could do was obsess.  
  
/_What is he doing to me...? He doesn't even seem to do it on purpose...is he even aware of these sentiments? An idiot like him can't be so cunning as to feign innocence so well... But neither can he be doing this without any ulterior motive. It's just impossible... Regardless, he's doing something to me, and it's clouding my thoughts, blurring my objective. I have to...I _must_ kill him!_/  
  
After waiting several long moments to make sure Vyse was asleep, Ramirez silently rose from his bedding and make his way to the rogue's bedside. Gazing down at him, the muted moonlight illuminating his features, Ramirez's chest once again tightened. Clutching at the fabric of his shirt, the silver-haired Admiral glared down at Vyse, who made him feel this strange way, however unwillingly.  
  
"You're...handsome," he whispered, staring at Vyse through slitted eyes. Ramirez lifted his free hand to stroke the pirate's cheek, pushing strands of hair off of the scar on his left cheek, just below his eye. "Beautiful...but...even so...." he continued, softly, "I won't let that distract me. I will not let your 'compassion' sway me from my purpose...." Tracing the rogue's scar with his thumb, Ramirez vowed, "Without fail, Vyse...you will die by my hand..."  
  
And even though he was swearing anew to kill the young rogue, Vyse continued to smile peacefully in his sleep.  
  
Shaking his head, Ramirez whispered, "You really are a fool... I wonder if you will go on smiling like that even when you are dead? Will you look this peaceful in death, too?"  
  
And Vyse rolled over and went SNOOOOOORE.  
  
Ramirez gave the young pirate a disgusted look, and stalked over to his bedding. "Idiot...hopeless, endless idiot..."  
  
Aforementioned idiot, for his part, rolled over again in his bed, murmured something, then continued to snore.  


* * *

  
**  
NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal Arcadia_ [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong.  


  
**Ianthe:** Yeah, you all probably noticed we left his sword behind. We think he just summons the thing from.... wherever.... but if it isn't put back, he couldn't summon it, right? Anyway, we had to leave it behind, or he'd kill people. ^^;  
  
Wilwarin the Butterfly was Ianthe's idea; it's taken from Tolkien. However, Michaol the Fallen Angel is Ayu's idea. It's a play on the Archangel Michael and Nagisa Kaworu, from _Shin Seiki Evangelion. When written in kana, Michael is written Mikaeru. Take off the "mi" and change the "e" with "wo", and you get Kaworu. So, to create the Fallen Angel's name, Ayu left in the "mi" and switched the "e" with "wo", creating Mikaworu. This becomes, in English, Michaol. And now you know!  
  
**Ramirez:** "_'Angels who have fallen from the heavens have no choice but to become demons...'_"  
**Ayu:** This quote is taken from the fifth episode of _Cowboy Bebop_, "The Ballad of the Fallen Angels". The one who said it was Vicious, who incidentally also has silver hair and wields a sword.  
  
**Ayu:** _Hahaue_ is Japanese for _Mother_. It's a respectful way of referring to one's mother. I thought it flowed better than Ramirez actually saying "Mother" (_although that may be because I can speak the language_). For reference, Van Fanel from __Tenkuu no Escaflowne, who is voiced by the same person who did Vyse in _Eternal Arcadia_ (Seki Tomokazu), refers to his mother as 'hahaue'.  
  
**Ayu:** The title of this chapter is a line from the _Slayers RETURN_ ending theme, _MIDNIGHT BLUE_. The song Fina and Ramirez sing is called _Hiru no Tsuki_ (_Midday Moon_), and is the first ending theme to _Seihou Bukyou Outlaw Star_. Full lyrics to both can be found at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!_, the link to which you can find below.   
  
**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com**  
Contact Ianthe of d.I: ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))  
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net))**_


	4. Chapter 04: Kurushiminagara Samayoinagar...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  
**Chapter 4:** Kurushiminagara Samayoinagara Nani kara Nigeru no ka  
(_While I Suffer, While I Wander, From What Will I Run Away?_)

  
  
  
  


The next morning, Vyse was energetic and leading the others into battle with great zest. He, Enrique, Fina and Aika manned the battle stations, while Ramirez skulked in the background, having been ordered by Vyse to just watch for this time.  
  
Within moments, they engaged the first of the two accompanying warships. The battle opened with a preemptive strike from the Delphinus' cannons.   
  
"I'm sure we can win this with the Moon Stone Cannon, guys! We just need to get the ship into a good postion..." Vyse explained quickly to the rest of the party.  
  
"Leave it to me, Vyse!" Aika cheered, already at work on the controls.  
  
The Delphinus slided through the air gracefully, its metallic form a falcon at home in the skies. After several shots were exchanged by both sides, an opening finally arose. Pulling up behind the other ship, Vyse readied the Moon Stone Cannon. Ramirez, still in the background, had to admit that there was a certain quality to their fighting style. Perhaps it was because of the power of the Delphinus, but they fought together very well in addition to that. So, despite his low opinion of the pirates, he wasn't really surprised when the Moon Stone Cannon wiped out both the warships in one shot.  
  
"Yeah!" Aika cheered, high-fiving Vyse. "We did it!" Vyse gave a cocky grin in reply, and there was a general air of excitement among the crew.   
  
Enrique's expression, however, grew grim, as the Delphinus turned and engaged the remaining ship, the Auriga.  
  
"It's not over yet," he reminded the others. "Now we have the toughest one left to go."  
  
The opening shots of the battle were fired, and things started off as smoothly as one could hope for a battle against one of the Admirals. Becoming overconfident, Vyse and the others continued the battle in the same fashion, waiting for the Moon Stone Cannon to recharge, that they never noticed that the Auriga was getting closer and closer with every pass.  
  
A fatal mistake, had they been in any ship but the Delphinus.  
  
Only the tough hull of their ship kept it from being split apart when the Auriga suddenly rammed into the side of the ship. As it was, though, the Delphinus sustained major damage.  
  
Vyse cursed loudly and colorfully, and had the situation been any less severe, someone surely would have chastised him.  
  
"Fina! Damage report!!" he called over to the young Silvite girl. "Enrique! How long until the Moon Stone Cannon is fully charged?!" he switched over the Prince of Valua. "Aika!! Move us away from the Auriga before he can do that again!" he finished, directing his orders this time to the carrot-haired rogue.  


"Aye-aye!" came the response from the addressed crewmembers.  
  
/_Shit!!_/ Vyse cursed mentally as Fina told him the extent of the damage to the Delphinus, and Enrique informed him that the cannon was at 80%. /_He was planning to do that all along, wasn't he? Shit. Shit! Gotta think of something, fast!!_/  
  
"Do you want my advice, 'Captain'?" Ramirez's bemused voice sounded from behind them.  
  
Vyse grimaced. The last thing he needed right now was Ramirez lording it over them.  
  
"You can keep your 'advice' and shove it, Ramirez!" Aika snapped before he could reply, however. "Vyse! I've got an idea—let's speed up the ship just before Gregorio tries that again!"  
  
"Okay!" Vyse replied, relieved at not having to deal with that problem himself.   
  
The Delphinus shifted its course, keeping its distance from the other ship for the time being.  
  
"Vyse! The Moon Stone Cannon's ready to fire again!" Enrique called from his station.  
  
"Great! We'll wait for the best opening!" Vyse replied.  
  
As could be expected, the Auriga began closing the gap between the two ships. This time, though, Vyse kept a careful eye on the distance between the two ships, and conserved fuel for the time being. A few shots were exchanged, but it mostly came down to waiting for both sides.  
  
As soon as the Auriga came close enough to ram them, Vyse had Aika use the magic engine to cast a Quika spell over the ship, and shortly after, as expected, the Auriga came careening towards the Delphinus—and thanks to the Delphinus' increased speed, it careened right on past. As soon as they were out of range of the Auriga, Vyse noticed that due to the angle at which they had escaped, they had a perfect shot at the Auriga with the Moon Stone Cannon. Quickly setting up the Cannon, Vyse took advantage of that shot, and with a blaze of lunar power, the cannon blast tore the sky asunder and hit the Auriga.  
  
But didn't tear it asunder.  
  
To Vyse's surprise, the ship was still there. /_Well, it figures, I guess,_/ he mused. /_It _is_ an Admiral's ship..._/ He shrugged and steered the ship closer to the other vessel, planning to hit it with the Delphinus' cannons. The other ship, though greatly damaged, responded by quickly flying underneath, running past the Delphinus to get behind it. Vyse responded by turning the ship in an arc, trying to keep the Auriga from getting a good shot at the back of the ship.  
  
"Fina! Aika! Enrique! Let's get the cannons ready! We can't let him hit us again!" he called to his crewmates.  
  
They replied in the affirmative and did the aforementioned task. The cannons were fired, scoring a direct hit on the enemy ship.  
  
"YEAH!!!" Aika and Vyse cheered in unison as the smoking Auriga began to sink. "We won, we won!!"  
  
Enrique tensed at first, fearing that the Auriga was doomed, but then relaxed upon seeing it was merely damaged. Gregorio and his crew would still live.  
  
Although he would not allow his expression to chance, Ramirez was rather impressed. Gregorio's abilities were top-rate, and if Lord Galcian were not in charge, the one who would take his place would surely be the Ironwall Admiral. To defeat him was no easy task, as Ramirez knew from firsthand experience.  
  
Vyse turned and grinned at the young Admiral. "So what did you think of _that_?" he asked.  
  
Ramirez frowned a bit at his tone and shrugged as if indifferent. "Sloppy."  
  
Vyse sighed, and rolled his eyes. "Nothing's good enough for you, is it?" he half-queried, exasperated.  
  
Ramirez blinked. He hadn't quite expected Vyse to say that. "What do you mean?"  


"Well, I mean, we just defeated Gregorio, and all you have to say is 'sloppy'..." He sighed again.  
  
Ramirez blinked again and frowned, feeling somewhat defensive. "You asked me what I thought and I told you," he stated, annoyed. "What more do you want?"  
  
Vyse shrugged. "I guess you've got a point there. But I was just expecting something..." he trailed off, not finishing the thought. "Never mind it, okay?" he grinned.  
  
"Hmph." But Ramirez didn't chase the subject anyway.  
  
"Vyse," Enrique said then. When he drew the rogue's attention, he continued, "As we're going now, it's possible to ride alongside the Auriga. I would like a chance to speak to Uncle Gregorio face-to-face—to explain to him what we're trying to do. I believe he'll be receptive."  
  
The brunet Air Pirate nodded with a confident smile. "Let's go then—Aika, Fina, Ramirez, you all coming, too?"  
  
The girls agreed, but the Admiral frowned and replied, "I will stay here. I would also appreciate it if you did not mention to Admiral Gregorio that I am aboard this ship, even if he asks about it."  
  
Vyse gave him an odd look, but nodded, and headed out with his three companions. Ramirez watched them go silently; he didn't want to confront one of his colleagues, even the most tolerable of them, under _these_ conditions. Perhaps his pride would be his downfall, he mused, but he wasn't quite desperate enough to reveal himself as being in the custody of Air Pirates. He wasn't so far gone that he couldn't stand to wait for other chances. Simply going back as he was would be too humiliating; he had to repay Vyse in full if he was to return to Valua with his chin raised.  
  
  
  
That night, as the Delphinus was receiving repairs on Esperanza, Vyse pondered what to do with Ramirez. He was being stubbornly avoidant, even though Vyse could feel that there was something inside of him that was burning...for what, he wasn't quite sure, but Vyse knew it was there. It _had_ to be there.  
  
Sighing, he wandered the corridors of the Delphinus. On a sudden whim, he entered the dining hall. He was surprised to see Fina there, sitting alone at one of the tables. She had been unable to sleep, due to a nagging sense that something was not quite right.  
  
"Fina?" he called softly.  
  
She glanced up at him, startled, but relaxed when she saw who it was. "Oh...it's you, Vyse," she murmured.  
  
"Hey, what's up?" he asked, "Having trouble sleeping?"  
  
"Yes..." she replied, then hesitated. "I just had a bad feeling...but I can't figure out what it is..."  
  
"About him?" he asked, not bothering to name the man in question.  
  
Fina bit her lip softly and slowly nodded.  
  
Vyse sighed. "I really don't know what goes on in his mind at all."  
  
The female Silvite agreed sadly, "His moods keep changing...at one moment, he seems willing to communicate with me—with _us_—but then the next moment, he becomes hostile again..."  
  
"Yeah," Vyse sighed, running one hand through his hair. A moment of silence lingered in the room; then Vyse, unnerved by it, broke it.   
  
"Hey, Fina... What was he like as a kid?"  
  
Fina glanced up at him, surprised. "Why..." she began, not knowing quite where to begin. "He was...rather enthusiastic. He was always full of energy, and so headstrong... He was always at odds with the Elders for some reason or another, and as a result, always getting punished..." She smiled a bit nostalgically. "He never let that get him down, though."  
  
It had been said before that Vyse and Ramirez were similar, at least in spirit. /_.__..__But still.__.._/ Vyse thought to himself, /_...it's almost frightening. I would swear that she was describing _me_ as a kid..._/  
  
"In the couple of years before he came down here, though," she continued, growing slightly morose, "he grew much calmer, and was much more obedient towards the Elders... That's why they felt they could trust him with descending to this world. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Hm?" the Air Pirate said, startled out of his musings. "Um, I was just wondering....about his childhood, I guess...which reminds me...what was _your_ childhood like, Fina?" he said, attempting to shift the focus of the conversation.  
  
She smiled fondly, if not a bit melancholically. "Well...there weren't many children on the Great Silver Shrine..." she recalled slowly. "There were only Ramirez and myself. But I was happy. He was like a big brother to me, and I truly loved him and my mother. She used to sing to the two of us..." Fina sighed a bit, feeling nostalgic.  
  
"Is your mother still alive? Or..." Vyse trailed off. He had a sudden sinking feeling that he asked the wrong thing.  
  
The smile faded from Fina's lips. "No..." she answered quietly, and the smile returned, more sweet and sad than before. "But...it's all right. She was always sick, ever since I'd been born... My mother always had to be confined to her bed; she couldn't walk, you see. At least when she died, her spirit could be free to fly anywhere..."  
  
Vyse remained silent, bowing his head slightly in respect to the woman he had never met.  
  
The Silvite girl sighed a bit. "You would have liked her, Vyse," she commented softly. "She was always gazing up at Arcadia, saying she wanted to go there one day... Ramirez loved her, too. You see, he—" But she suddenly cut herself off, as if remembering something, and glanced away, looking a bit guilty.  
  
Vyse remembered suddenly his conversation with Ramirez the other day. He knew why she had stopped talking, and decided not to press the point.   
  
"Sounds like both of you had pretty lonely childhoods, though..." he murmured.  
  
"Well..." Fina hesitated, not knowing what to say. Finally, she offered, "We had each other."  
  
Vyse nodded. "Yeah, that's true..."  
  
Silence again enveloped the room. At a loss, Vyse brought up something Enrique had told him. "Fina..." he began softly, "Enrique said you have a really nice singing voice. I was wondering...could you sing for me?"  
  
Fina's face abruptly turned bright crimson. "He...told you that?" she queried in a small voice.  
  
Vyse sweated a bit. "Yeah... is something wrong? He seemed quite impressed..."  
  
She laughed nervously. "It's just that...I usually don't sing for an audience."  
  
He smiled comfortingly. "It's okay if you don't want to."  
  
"Well...if you really want me to..." She smiled shyly at him, still blushing, but not as intensely.  
  
"I would like you to," Vyse stated simply.

Fina, still smiling and blushing prettily, cleared her throat and softly sang a sweet lullaby in a language Vyse didn't know; probably the native language of Silvites, he assumed. The handsome rogue listened quietly, smiling, admiring her vocals. Enrique was right; she was a really good singer.

When she finished, the veiled girl glanced over at Vyse, as if seeking his approval.

"...It was a very nice song..." he said quietly, almost afraid he would break this beautiful moment.

Fina blushed a bit and smiled, pleased by the compliment. "Thank you..."

Vyse grinned back at her. "Will you sing again for me sometime?" he asked.

The pale-blonde girl blushed a little deeper, but smiled more widely and nodded. "I'd like that," she agreed.

The two of them laughed together, the awkwardness from before gone, and the air felt suddenly renewed, as if a breath of fresh air had swept the room. The two smiled at each other, their worries, for the time being, forgotten.  
  
  
  
Outside the room, Ramirez, who had been eavesdropping, pushed himself away from the wall, against which he'd be leaning, and stalked away, trying unsuccessfully to ignore the welling of jealousy in his heart. He wasn't entirely sure what it was directed towards. Either their closeness as friends...or something else. Returning to the captain's quarters, he collapsed facedown onto the bedding. 

"Mmph," he muttered to himself through his pillow. The makeshift "bed" was hardly comfortable, but Ramirez wasn't about to ask for any favors. He didn't want Vyse thinking he had Ramirez in his debt, after all.

/_Why do I care if those two become involved with each other? It's none of my business..._/ he brooded. /_Besides, Fina's made her choices. If she wants to dirty herself with these wretched Air Pirates, that's her concern. She's an adult; she doesn't need me to watch over her anymore._/ He sighed, and rolled onto his side. Things had been much simpler when he was a child. /_...Why can't things be the way they were back then? Even though I suffered...even though I was ignorant...wasn't there a certain pleasure in being innocent? At least, then, I had my dreams... How ironic. If I hadn't been so innocent, my innocence wouldn't have been taken from me...._/

Ramirez turned around on his back and stared at the ceiling without seeing it. "Hahaue..." he murmured.

"Ramirez?"

The Silvite swordsman bolted upright; Vyse had returned to his room and was staring at him quizzically. The young Admiral felt his cheeks start to burn, and making a face, he turned away.

"What do you want?" he muttered.

"...Are you all right?" the handsome youth asked, a little concerned.

Ramirez gave a short, mirthless laugh, disgusted by the question. "Are you completely clueless or are you just stupid?" he snapped. "Of course I'm not 'all right'!"

Vyse sighed. "Fine, then. Do you want to talk about it, or am I wasting my time?"

The silver-haired young man scowled and glanced away, saying nothing.

"I guess that's a no."

"Your powers of perception are simply amazing," Ramirez muttered, voice rife with sarcasm, as he laid back down.

The Blue Rogue walked over to Silvite's 'bed' and looked down at him. "Are you this rude to everyone, or am I just a special case?" he asked, annoyed.

Something inside Ramirez snapped, and he shot to his feet, glaring at Vyse face-to-face. "I heard you flirting with Fina," he snarled in a low voice. "Don't you dare do anything to her, or I'll _make_ you regret it."

Vyse stepped back, surprised at the sudden outburst. Looking at the other man, he smiled slightly. "Heh. I didn't think you cared about her..."

Ramirez clenched and unclenched his fist, still glaring at Vyse, barely managing to control his jealousy and rage and keep from striking the taller young man down. It was bad enough that now he had to make up excuses to explain away his otherwise unexplainable temper; he didn't need to start a brawl on the pirate's own ship. Finally, he glanced away, glowering at the floor. "....."

"Hey, you don't have to worry about it, okay? Fina and I are just friends..." Vyse spoke, attempting to calm down the wrathful man.

Ramirez turned around, trying to calm himself down, and walked over to the other side of the room. "..._Just_ friends?" he repeated. "Are you certain of that?"

Vyse sighed. "I can't predict the future, Ramirez. She's just my friend now, but I can't tell what will happen..."

The self-righteous Silvite turned around, his eyes narrowed. What kind of gall was that? He opened his mouth to tell him off one last time, to voice his disgust with the Blue Rogue and to triumph with the final word, and said, "You slime...do you think I can be deceived like that?! Humans are all the same—you're just being kind to her now so you can take advantage of her later! Well, I can see clearly through your ploy, and on your life, I won't allow any of your plans to come to fruition!!"

Except it didn't come out quite like that. What he actually ended up saying was, "You like her better than me, don't you?!"

Vyse stared at him. "What did you say?" he asked, bewildered.

Ramirez turned bright red, realizing too late that he had completely said the wrong thing. "........"

The Air Pirate tried a different tactic. "What did you mean by that?"

"Nothing, it just came out wrong," the Admiral muttered, a little too quickly.

Vyse regarded the Silvite for a moment, then shrugged. Most of the time he couldn't understand the man; why should this conversation be any different?

"'Night," Ramirez finally muttered gruffly, lying down and pulling his blanket over him, his way of saying the conversation was over.

"...Goodnight," Vyse replied. It was obvious that there wasn't going to be any more discussion tonight, so he prepared for bed and attempted to fall asleep himself. Both young men fell asleep fairly quickly that night, but neither of them slept peacefully. Vyse kept waking up, and Ramirez continued to dream...

_"Hahaue..."_

_She looked just like she had in life, her pale blonde hair bound into a long braid, and still clad in the white dress she always wore. He knew, though, that this couldn't possibly be real. She was dead._

_"No...you're not her. She's dead..." he whispered, trying to deny what he saw before him._

_"Am I dead?" she said, her voice soft, like always. She smiled slightly. "I certainly do not feel dead..." To drive her point home, she pinched a cheek and winced slightly at the pain, then smiled at him._

_Ramirez shook his head, his silver bangs tracing his face. He was his current age, not the age he had been when she had died, and garbed in his now usual military uniform. "An illusion," he whispered. "Or a dream." Even so, he stepped forward, reaching out to touch her himself. She reached out one hand and clasped his._

_"I've missed you so much..." Her voice was quiet, but it managed, as always, to reach the listener's ears. "What have you seen, in your travels?" she asked, smiling slightly._

_Her hand was cool and soft, just as he remembered it... Ramirez shook his head again, refusing to believe it. "Far too much," he murmured, a pained look splayed across his face. "I'm almost glad you died, so you couldn't see how dirty __Arcadia__ is...haha...ue..."_

_The look on her face was one of confusion. "...But...I'm not dead, Ramirez... I'm right here..." Her voice was little more than a whisper._

_"No, you died a long time ago," Ramirez protested, unable to look her in the face. What was going on? He didn't understand. "I remember you dying..."_

_"Are you sure? ...Perhaps it was just a bad dream." Her voice was soothing, just like it had been back then._

_The silver-haired young man felt himself buckling. It would be so good to believe her, to believe it could go back to those days, but.... "Perhaps this is the dream," he whispered in reply. "It doesn't seem real..."_

_"Do you really think that?" she asked, a bit sorrowfully. Sighing softly, she changed the subject. "Did nothing good happen to you on __Arcadia__?" she questioned. "Are there truly no good people on the planet?"___

_Ramirez hesitated. Regardless of whether or not this scene was real, could he really tell her the truth, when she had believed in those wretches all this time? But on the other hand, how could he lie to her...?__ Still, he had already slipped, saying the world was dirty; if he hadn't said that, she wouldn't be asking such a question. "There are...many different kinds of people," he eventually replied, diplomatically._

She smiled, seemingly content at this news. "Do you have friends now? You used to be lonely, even with Fina and I..." She paused, and without letting him answer that question, asked another. "Have you found someone you can love?"

_His thoughts flicked suddenly to Vyse, but Ramirez certainly didn't love _him_. Still, then why had he thought of him when she asked...? "...No."___

_A clock chimed in the background, and she questioned, "Are you certain?" Except it wasn't her voice anymore, nor was it her; she had suddenly become Fina, who was regarding him with such a serious look on his face..._

_"What do you mean?" Ramirez queried, too startled to ask what had just happened.___

_"Are you sure you don't love anyone?" Fina asked him, again.  
_

_Ramirez did not reply, and looked away from her, toward the window 'hahaue' had enjoyed looking out of. Only, the window was no longer there.__  
_

_"What happened to the window?" he demanded, growing increasingly panicked at the sudden changes._

_"What do you mean? There never was a window," Fina replied, her expression blank._

_At that moment, he heard a waterdrop splash into a body of water somewhere in the distance. Quickly, he turned to see whatever it was that was taking place behind him. When he did so, though, Ramirez felt Fina's hand, which had still been in his, slip away. He turned back, and there was no longer anyone—or anything—there...simply empty blackness._

_"What..." he murmured, wide-eyed. He took a step forward in the darkness, trying to feel his way around by touch. But there was nothing tangible. "This is a dream..." he said aloud. "It has to be a dream..."_

_"Yes, this _is_ a dream, where nothing is real," the voice of Galcian sounded as a hand touched his shoulder. "Or rather, everything is real, but in a way different from the waking world—making it _un_real. You can't trust what you experience here, Ramirez."_

_The young Silvite turned to face his mentor. "Lord Galcian...."_

_Galcian smiled down at him nastily, and his hand slid down Ramirez's arm while he placed his other hand on Ramirez's other shoulder. "What are you doing, Ramirez, dallying so long with the Air Pirate?" the commander of the Valuan Armada inquired in a deceptively nonchalant tone. "Does he..._interest_ you?"_

_"No!" he replied, too quickly. "I feel nothing for him. The reason I haven't escaped is...." He stopped, unable to finish that thought. Why hadn't he escaped yet? Why had he taken up that ridiculous offer of Vyse's? There was no logical explanation. He supposed he could claim he was spying, but what was there to spy on?_

_"The reason is...what?" Like a cobra striking its prey, Galcian grasped Ramirez's wrist and pulled his arm back behind his back, twisting it upwards. "You know you can't trust him...you should come quickly back to me. I am, after all, the only one you can trust in this world..." He tugged Ramirez's arm up a fraction of an inch higher, and the young Silvite almost gasped from the pain._

_"What...what are you doing?" he asked. "You're...not really Lord Galcian...are you?"_

_"Of course I am Galcian," he whispered in Ramirez's ear. "Who else would I be?"_

_Ramirez let out a gasp, but it was due more to the shock of him doing this than the actual physical pain itself. "Then...why?"_

_"Am I not like a father to you, Ramirez?" Galcian nearly purred in his ear as he tightened his grip. "The father you've never had? And, in that fashion, do you not love me?" He chuckled. "Love hurts."_

_And with that, Galcian wrenched Ramirez's arm upwards, searing pain shooting through the young man's shoulder as it was dislocated._

_Another gasp escaped Ramirez's lips, this one far more pained. He had been wounded in battle before, but...never like this, and not under these circumstances. With a cruel laugh, Galcian released the young man and allowed him to collapse to the floor...except there was no floor, there was only endless darkness, and surrounded by pain, Ramirez started falling... He was certain, as he fell, that eventually he would hit some surface—and, of course, on doing so, die. All he could do was wait for his own inevitable end._

_"You won't die," her gentle voice whispered, and below him, in the way of his descent, she appeared. "Because I'll protect you."_

_"Hahaue!" Ramirez cried out, realizing in a flash that they would crash. "Hahaue!!"_

_He did crash into her, but for him, it was as if he had landed on a downy pillow. It wasn't the same for her..._

_Her_

_Body_

_Shattered._

_"Hahaue!" he screamed. He had killed her. By simply existing he had killed her! He continued to scream out her name, tears flowing down his cheeks, the redness of her blood pooling around him and swaying through the nothingness like ether._

"HAHAUEEEEEEE!!!!"

Ramirez bolted upright, suddenly awake. Sweating and mouth still open from his cry, he stared at Vyse, who looked just as surprised as he held Ramirez's shoulder.  
  
  
  
For whatever reason, Vyse had been unable to sleep very well, and had once again that night awoken. When he had, with an annoyed sigh, he shoved his face into his pillow and tried to concentrate on getting to sleep again. But as he did so, he slowly became aware of a strange sound. After a moment of listening, he realized with a shock that Ramirez was talking in his sleep. He sat up, and looked over at the sleeping Silvite. It had become evident from the words Ramirez mumbled and his expression that he was having quite a bad dream. He quickly slid out of bed, worried about him; Vyse knew you were supposed to leave someone having a nightmare sleeping, because according to people who did research on that sort of thing, once it was over they wouldn't remember it. But what if they were wrong? Besides, he didn't know what Ramirez was dreaming about...it might be better to wake him up before it got worse.

"Hahaue..."

Vyse blinked and strained his ears. "Hahaue"? Who or what was that supposed to be? He figuring it to be a Silvite word and reached over, placing a hand on one of Ramirez's shoulders, intending to shake him awake.

"HAHAUEEEEE!!!" At that moment, Ramirez screamed and bolted upright, suddenly wide awake. The two of them stared at each other, both considerably unnerved.

Vyse became uncomfortably aware that his hand was still on Ramirez's shoulder. What would he think? "Um..." he started in an uncertain voice, "...are you okay, Ramire...?" His voice trailed off when he saw with some surprise how fearful Ramirez's expression was, and then with shock as tears started to fall down from the young man's jade green eyes. He didn't think he'd ever seen Ramirez cry before—no, Vyse was sure of it. It was...frightening. The Silvite looked, for the first time, utterly fragile.

"Hey..." Vyse said in a soothing tone, placing his other hand on Ramirez's respective shoulder, "it's okay...all right? You're all right..."

With a sudden gasp, Ramirez fell forward into Vyse's arms.

Vyse, taken by surprise, wrapped his arms around the young Admiral's shoulders and held him as he shook, his tears wetting Vyse's shirt. "Ramirez..." he whispered, staring wide-eyed down at the young man in his embrace. "You..."

He was uncertain if the Silvite even heard him, as he did not respond. Ramirez continued to silently shed tears, his slender body trembling slightly.

Vyse, deciding that if Ramirez's nightmare had been so bad that it had forced him to this point, he really needed the comfort, allowed him to do so. Whispering soothing words, he stroked the shorter man's silver hair in what Vyse hoped was a reassuring manner.

It was quite a while until Ramirez calmed down. Slowly, he extricated himself from Vyse's arms, and, his face flushed, met the Air Pirate's gaze. 

"Don't..." he began, his face still pained, though whether it was from anger or embarrassment or the memory of his nightmare was impossible for Vyse to tell, "...ever breathe a word of this to anyone. _Ever_."

Vyse nodded. "I promise," he said, simply. Part of him wanted to ask about the dream, or at least talk to Ramirez further, but the whole situation was so awkward. Perhaps it would be best simply to say nothing of it, and let the matter rest. 

Ramirez drew himself away, breathing heavily. His emotions were in turmoil, and not simply because of his nightmare.

He had embraced Vyse...and enjoyed it. Crying in his arms, allowing himself release as Vyse comforted him...made him feel better. And now that he was separated from Vyse, he wanted to get close to him again.

Ramirez felt sick from the realization.

"Vyse..." he murmured in a low voice, his emerald eyes cast on the floor between their knees, "I...I, um..."

"Hey, don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I promised," Vyse said with a supportive smile, completely misunderstanding the other man's emotions.

"N-no, I..." But Ramirez's throat suddenly stuck, and he found he couldn't speak. /_You don't understand...you've got the wrong message..._/

"Do you want to talk about it?" the brunet rogue inquired.

"...I...if...that's okay..." Ramirez managed to murmur, casting his eyes away. What was he doing...? What did he have to talk about to a person like Vyse, anyway? Why...why...? Ramirez, unable to understand his own feelings, fell silent.

"All right, then." Vyse settled back down onto the floor. "I'll listen."

Ramirez's heartbeat quickened. He had just committed himself to Vyse! Now what? What would he say? Fearing a panic, Ramirez resettled himself, moving over next to the young rogue and wrapping his arms around his legs. "......What do...you...want to know?"

Vyse paused a moment, thinking of where to begin. "...You were calling out for someone named Hahaue. Who was that, and what happened?" he asked at length.

"I..." Ramirez swallowed nervously, his expression stricken. "...Hahaue means Mother in the holy language of Silvites, but... Well, I told you before that my birth mother died before I was even born... The woman I call 'hahaue' is actually Fina's mother..."

Vyse thought this over. It made sense, considering. And hadn't Fina said he had been hurt more by her mother's death? Still, though, he was curious about the dream. "...What did you dream about?"

As he thought of Fina and Lord Galcian asking about his feelings of love, Ramirez placed a hand over his mouth. He felt mildly ill; he realized now what they had been implying. Glancing over at Vyse, he shook his head slightly. It was both preposterous and embarrassing! Ramirez certainly didn't... "...I don't really remember very well."

"You sure?" Vyse inquired, in slight surprise. Without giving Ramirez a chance to answer, he continued, "I guess it doesn't matter. It's probably better that you don't remember, huh?"

Ramirez blinked, his face turning pink. "Uh...yeah," he muttered, turning away. "I'm...no, this is stupid. I'm sorry for bothering you." As he spoke, he crawled back into his bedding and laid down. "Good night."

Vyse was certain that there was something Ramirez was hiding, but it was late, and sleep sounded like a good idea. Besides, it was Ramirez's business if he wanted to tell him, right? Telling himself Ramirez would open up to him in his own time, Vyse turned to get back into bed. However, something stopped him, and he looked back over his shoulder at the young Admiral.

"Hey..." Vyse said softly, kneeling down next to him. Ramirez glanced up at him, and the rogue continued, "I want to be your friend."

"...Are you serious?" the silver-haired man queried quietly after a moment.

"Of course," Vyse smiled warmly. "I don't really understand you, or how you think, but I know one thing's clear...you've been hurt really badly. And...I want to help you get over your pain. Because I can't just leave you alone to suffer...that goes against my nature."

"...I... I'd...have to think about it..." Ramirez replied. Inwardly, he cursed himself. /_He's just using you!_/ he told himself. But despite that, he thought, in some small part of his being, that perhaps it wouldn't be so bad, to be friends with Vyse.

Vyse grinned down at the silver-haired young man. "Great!" he cheered. "Good night! I hope you sleep better this time."

"Good night...." Ramirez murmured. He doubted he would get any sleep, though...

Even after Vyse had climbed into bed, gone silent, and finally started softly snoring, Ramirez lay awake in his bedding, pondering this turn of events. /_...I can't trust him. I can't afford to trust him..._/ But the young Silvite couldn't deny that his heart felt more at peace than before, and that he felt a certain warmth he hadn't felt in years. Things were changing, and changing far too quickly.  
  
Ramirez sighed. Just as soon as he got used to one way of life, the world turned upside down and he had to start all over again... Why couldn't he just be allowed to hate Vyse? Sitting up quietly, Ramirez gazed at the slumbering pirate. He slept so peacefully... The green-eyed Admiral smiled wistfully.

"Vyse..." he whispered softly, watching the moonlight make shadows across the Blue Rogue's face, "...I'll kill you."  
  
  


* * *

  
  


**NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal __Arcadia [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong.**  
  
Ayu:** We _hated_ writing that fight scene between the Auriga and the Delphinus. Neither of us specializes in fight scenes, especially not flight scenes between ships of any kind; our things are exposition and plot. As a result, it was extremely painful to write, and that's why it's so short and crappy. -_-;  
  
**Ayu:** Did you all enjoy Ramirez's creepy dream? It's a little something I-chan and I dubbed "F*cked-Up Dream Theatre" (don't mind the censoring), or FUDT for short. Basically it's the weird, usually symbolic and almost always message-carrying dreams that have a tendency to show up in anime and such. I-chan and I enjoy using FUDT due to the ample opportunities to use freaky symbolic things to screw with a given character's head (in this case, Ramirez), and trust us, this is not going to be the last time you see it.  
  
**Ramirez:** "_Vyse...I'll kill you._"  
**Ianthe:** It's Heero Yuy! (*whimpers and doesn't know whether to hide or squeal with joy*)  
**Ayu:** Speaking of Heero Yuy, Ramirez's seiyuu in _Eternal Arcadia_ is Midorikawa Hikaru, who also voiced Heero.  
**Ianthe:** _squee._  
  
**Ayu:** The title of this chapter is a line from an Ogata Megumi song by the title of _Jerashii no Konseki_ (_Traces of Jealousy_). The translation can be found, as usual, at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!_, the link to which you can find below.  
  
**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com**  
Contact Ianthe of d.I: ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))  
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net))**_


	5. Chapter 05: Oikaketeta Omoide mo Kimi ni...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  


**Chapter 5:** Oikaketeta Omoide mo Kimi ni Itsuka Modoru Darou  
(_The Memories I Was Pursuing Will Also Probably Return to You Someday_)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The next morning, once the Delphinus had been fully repaired and its crewmembers had eaten breakfast, Vyse and everyone set sail for the Dark Rift. Although tension was high, so were their spirits, and even Ramirez, with a certain resignation about him, had no protests to make. The ship pulled near to the swirling black clouds that was the rift, and in a heartbeat, crossed the boundary, plunging into the darkness.  
  
The effect was almost instantaneous. Warning signals blazed within the ship as the navigation system went haywire, trying futilely to regain its bearings until Fina shut it and the alarm systems down.  
  
At the back of the control room, Ramirez sighed. It was very likely they would meet an untimely end in the Dark Rift, but Vyse simply continued to pilot the ship, undaunted by the lack of navigation. Ramirez wanted to ask Vyse if he had any idea what he was doing, but he bit his tongue. There was no use asking when the answer was obvious.  
  
He shook his head. /_Idiot._/ The word had become almost a nickname for Vyse. But in all honesty, there wasn't any word that described him better. Well, Ramirez supposed it was all part of being a captive, being forced to die in such a manner; however, that still didn't make it any less pathetic.  
  
/_I had always thought that I would die in battle, not lost in a void that can't be navigated..._/ He sighed again, this time due to boredom more than anything. /_I'll die of boredom at this rate..._/ he mused.  
  
"Ramirez?" Fina called over to him. "Are you all right?"  
  
He raised an eyebrow at the query. "Hmm?" the young silver-haired man said in non-reply.  
  
"You're just standing there by yourself, so I wondered if..." She trailed off, not knowing quite what to say.  
  
Ramirez half shrugged, not making eye contact. "I'm all right," he replied, not wishing to convey any sentiment that would draw unwanted sympathy.  
  
"You bored?" Vyse called over his shoulder. "If you want, I can give you some work!"  
  
Ramirez made a face. "You _can't_ have gotten the bathroom so dirty again already."  
  
Vyse had to laugh at that. "No, no... Would you mind checking to see if the cannons are in working order? I really don't know what kind of things live in here, and it's always best to be prepared."  
  
Ramirez blinked, mildly surprised, and nodded. "All right," he conceded. "I'll be back shortly, provided I don't run into any trouble." With that, he immediately left the control room.  
  
Aika, Fina and Enrique watched him leave, then turned to Vyse.  
  
"Are you sure it's okay to let him go off on his own, Vyse?" Aika queried, one orange eyebrow raised.  
  
Vyse shrugged slightly. He thought briefly of the previous night's events, and smiled. "I think it'll be okay," he reassured her.  
  
"You sound confident," Enrique noted. "What makes you so sure?"  
  
"Call it sailor's intuition," he replied simply.  


Fina, Aika and Enrique sweatdropped in unison. "Uh huh..."  


Vyse sighed. "Besides, we have all the weapons up here with us," he reminded them.  


Enrique nodded thoughtfully. "That is true," he agreed. "Ramirez is still unarmed; he would be hard put to endanger anyone on this ship."  


"That doesn't make him any less dangerous—or any less crazy!" Aika disputed hotly.  


"Aika!" Fina chided, her own feelings hurt by the (most likely true) accusation made towards her friend.  


Vyse shook his head at that, and returned his attention to steering the ship. Getting distracted could prove to be fatal here.  


  


Ramirez walked to the deck without hurrying but without meandering either. Although he had no desire to do any sort of work sloppily, neither did he want Vyse getting the impression that he was becoming part of the crew. He supposed the reason he was even doing this at all was due to boredom. He'd rather do anything but stand there, in the same room as Vyse. The previous night had been unnerving, and he needed time to himself to think about it. Even though, and Ramirez reluctantly admitted this as he resisted the urge to bite his lip, he didn't really want to think about it.  


It had been frightening...he had left himself totally vulnerable to the Blue Rogue. If Vyse hadn't been as gentle as he had been, the entire event would have left Ramirez feeling sick and humiliated. As it was, the young Silvite was still quite unsettled. The jade-eyed Admiral leaned against a wall and sighed. He wasn't even sure how he viewed the pirate anymore. It didn't matter how he viewed him, though, Ramirez was quick to remind himself. No matter how his opinion might change, Vyse would always be the enemy.  


What he needed, though, was some way to justify to himself his presence on the ship. Why, indeed, didn't he just run away? There were always the most obvious excuses: he had no weapon, and he had no boat of any kind with which to return to Valua, to Lord Galcian. But these reasons were transparent at best; having been delegated to Vyse's quarters, and with Vyse growing more and more complacent around him, Ramirez could easily still his weapons and make off with them. In addition, once he had those weapons, he could, with his power, conceivably take over the Delphinus—or, if he preferred not to get caught up in unnecessary conflict, steal one of the lifeboats and quietly escape before Vyse's quickly cooling body was found. So why hadn't he done that, then? Was he truly developing..._no_. He cut that thought off, disgusted. That _couldn't_ be the reason. There had to be some advantage to his staying with them.  


Realizing suddenly he had stopped walking to ponder his situation, Ramirez began walking again, this time more quickly to make up for lost time.  


  


Soon, he reached the cannon deck, and began his task of checking them. They were in good enough condition; there weren't, at least, any monsters crawling in through the ducts and clogging them up, in any case. He also checked to see if they were loaded, which they were. There were no problems, which was good for him, he supposed. He didn't particularly relish the idea of dying in this place. Although, he mused, regardless of whether they won all the battles they got into, they would probably die here regardless.  


"This is what happens," he murmured aloud, "when the captain is an idealistic fool..."  


Yes, Vyse was a complete fool, trying to make his way through the Dark Rift. Ramirez sighed and rolled his eyes towards the ceiling; that sort of fallacy seemed common among humans.  


Ramirez shook those thoughts aside, for now, and made his way back to the control room. Just before he arrived, though, he hesitated. It sounded as if Fina and the other girl were having an argument...an argument about him. He lingered, behind the door, wondering if he should just walk in, or stay and listen for a moment first. He decided to wait a moment and listen to the exchange between the two girls, momentarily interested in what the current view was of him.  


"...not so bad, I know he seems abrasive at first, but he and I have been together for all our lives, so, please, Aika, I'm sure he'll eventually calm down and—"  


"Fina, are you just clueless about him? I don't mean to insult you, but this whole childhood friend thing you have with him is totally blinding you! I don't know what kind of person Ramirez used to be, but he's completely hostile and he's already said he's going to kill Vyse! How can you tell us to give a person who wants us dead a chance?!"  


Ramirez shrugged at this description of himself. The redhead certainly had a good head on her shoulders...  


/_If they are so insistent on trusting me,_/ he slowly smirked as a plan began to form in his mind, /_then I have no choice but to use that trust against them._/  


"Jeez, just calm down, Aika. There's no point in spending our time wondering if Ramirez is gonna betray us. If he does, we'll just deal with that when the time comes. If not, well...that's one less thing we'll have to worry about," Vyse's voice cut in to the argument.  


Ramirez leaned against the door and shook his head, still smirking. /_Idiot._/  


"I agree," Enrique spoke up. "Although it's probably unwise to completely trust Ramirez, he has no weapons and no means of returning to Valua, so at least for the moment, I think we don't have to worry about him too much."  


"Am I the only one who sees Ramirez for what he really is?!" Aika snapped, on the verge of throwing a fit. "A depraved, heartless, murderous PSYCHOPATH?!!?"  


Ramirez blinked, surprised at her vehemence. /_...The redhead could be trouble unless I do something,_/ he mused, and then abruptly opened the door to the control room.  


"Now that's just being cruel," he said to the stunned party members.  


Aika's face abruptly went crimson. "...how long have you been there?" she asked in a quiet voice.  


"Not too long. I was just about to come in when I heard you yelling about me," the young Admiral replied calmly.  


Aika made a face and said hotly, "Vyse and Fina and Enrique might think you're harmless, but I know different! I'm gonna be watching you, Ramirez, and if you try anything funny, I'm gonna kick your butt clear over the Moons!!"  


Ramirez regarded her with a coolly raised eyebrow. "Are you aware that you talk too much?" he queried dryly.  


Aika twitched, and in exasperation turned her attention away from him, as if monitoring the fuel had become the most interesting thing in the world all of a sudden.  


Vyse grinned at the banter between the two, but his mirth didn't last long, because for the moment that he'd taken his attention away from navigating through the treacherous Dark Rift, the ship had gone slightly off course.  


With a wrenching shock, the side of the Delphinus hit something with such force that it threw everyone to the floor.  


Vyse pulled himself up from the floor, calling to Fina who was doing likewise. "Fina, status report!"  


"It seems..." she started, "that the ship sideswiped something out there. There's no critical damage, and the Delphinus is still intact but..." Fina looked up. "Should we check out what we hit?"  


"Sure..." Vyse replied, relieved that there was no major damage to the ship. "I wonder what we could have hit in here, anyway?"  


"There are a lot of ships wrecked in here," Enrique pointed out. "It's possible what we hit was one of them..."  


"It doesn't look like that!" Aika said, peering into the darkness through the windows. "It looks more like we hit some kind of floating black rock."  


Vyse blinked, confused. "...I wonder what..." he trailed off. "I'm gonna go take a closer look," he said without finishing his previous thought, and headed towards the exit.  


With a sigh, Ramirez got up to follow him.  


"Woah, where are you going?" Aika demanded, eyeing him suspiciously.  


The silver-haired young man glared at her. "Making sure he doesn't get himself killed," he snapped with only the barest hint of sarcasm.  


"Or you'll kill him..." Aika muttered to herself as the two young men left, heading up to the deck.  


  


  
"Wow," Vyse muttered, staring at the giant black boulder that was only a few feet away from the railing of the Delphinus. He turned to the green-eyed man, asking, "Hey, Ramirez, do you know what this thing is?"  


Frowning, the young Admiral shook his head. "It seems somewhat familiar, though..." he replied as he reached out his left hand to touch it.  


As his fingers grazed the surface, though, a sudden explosion of silvery light erupted beneath his hand, and for a second he could have sworn he felt a heartbeat emanate from the rock. Such thoughts didn't last, though, as Ramirez was blasted back from the force of the reaction and almost collided against the Delphinus.  


"What the hell?!" Vyse rushed over to the verdure-eyed Silvite's side. "You okay, Ramirez?"  


Brushing off the Air Pirate's concern, he stood and regarded the black stone, which was now glowing slightly but still eerily.  


Vyse stared at Ramirez, then the mysterious boulder, then back at Ramirez. "What happened?" he finally asked.  


"....I don't know," the Silvite replied simply, sweat beading on his forehead.  


"Is your hand okay?" the Blue Rogue queried, reaching for Ramirez's left hand as he spoke.  


The proud Admiral snatched his hand away before Vyse could hold it. "I'm fine. It's fine," he stated coldly, glaring at the other man.  


Vyse made a face at the green-eyed young man. "Let me see," he insisted. "You're just the type of person to say it's all right when it's really not."  


Ramirez sighed and reluctantly let the Blue Rogue see his hand.  


Vyse smiled at him and took Ramirez's gloved hand into his own. There didn't seem to be any burns or anything, at least not on the glove, but... "It looks fine, but if something weird shows up later, be sure to let me know, okay?"  


The Silvite Admiral removed his hand from Vyse's and did not reply.  


The captain of the Delphinus looked down at Ramirez for a moment before finally asking, "You aren't going to tell me anything, are you?"  


Ramirez turned away from Vyse, and began to head back to the interior of the ship.  


"Hey!" the young rogue protested, walking after him. "You could at least say something!"  


Still ignoring him, Ramirez opened the door, and entered the ship.  


Irritated, Vyse started to follow, but something made him pause. He glanced behind him at the massive black rock; was it his imagination, or had he seen it...pulse? He peered at it through the misty light of the Dark Rift, but it didn't seem to do anything else, so the young pirate shrugged it off as a trick of the strange light and ran inside to catch up with Ramirez.  


Vyse caught up with Ramirez in the hallway, placing a hand on one shoulder to stop him. "What's going on?" he asked the suddenly taciturn Silvite.  


The young Admiral glanced back at him, frowning. "What do you mean?" he finally deigned to mutter.  


"You've been ignoring me. Are you sure you're okay?" Vyse replied.  


Ramirez rubbed his left hand a bit. "I'm fine," he stated flatly.  


Noticing that last action, Vyse commented, "That hand hurts, doesn't it? I knew you had to have hurt it."  


Ramirez scowled. "I said I'm fine!"  


The brunet rogue sighed. "Just calm down, okay?"  


The silver-haired man turned his head away. He certainly wasn't going to admit it, but after touching the black rock, he had become woozy; it took all of his concentration and discipline not to give it away.  


Vyse walked past him, opening the door to the control room. Before he entered the room, though, he turn and said to Ramirez, "If you just want to be left alone, tell me. Don't give me the silent treatment."  


The pale swordsman blinked and looked up at him, studying the brunet pirate but saying nothing. He recalled at that moment how Vyse had said last night that he wanted to be his friend...that had been the first time in his life that anyone had ever said such a thing to him, particularly a human. Finally, he muttered, "You'd just stick your nose in my business, anyway."  


The brown-eyed youth didn't seem to hear his reply, though, as he had already entered the room. With a resigned sigh, Ramirez followed him in.  


Enrique and the girls looked up upon their entrance. "What did you find out?" the flaxen-haired Prince of Valua queried.  


Vyse opened his mouth to answer, but before he could say anything, Ramirez cut in, "Nothing to find out. It's just a boulder."  


The young captain of the Delphinus stared at his companion for a moment. Even if it seemed that way, considering what just happened to him, that thing couldn't be considered _just_ a boulder! Still, what just happened couldn't be explained, and nothing wrong seemed to have happened, so there wasn't much point in arguing about it in front of everyone else.  


"That true, Vyse?" Aika asked suspiciously, her eyes on her childhood friend.  


"Uh, yeah," he replied, looking over at her. "Doesn't seem to be anything special. It's just floating there, like everything else in this weird place. We should still avoid it, though." Moving back to his station in front of the wheel, Vyse began to call out orders to the others, and as they began to ease away and go into motion again, the incident was mostly forgotten.  


Still, though Vyse was much more careful after that, they had no idea where they were going or how to get out. So, they continued to wander through the engulfing darkness that was the Dark Rift. After several hours of roaming the inky blackness, Vyse decided to call it a day. His growing frustration at being so lost was bound impact his ability to pilot the ship, and he wanted to avoid any further mistakes. The next one could be fatal...  


"All right, everybody!" Vyse called to his teammates, bringing the Delphinus to a halt. "It's getting late, and there doesn't seem to be any end to this maze, so let's call it quits for today, get some sleep, and try again tomorrow."  


/_Provided we don't die first,_/ Ramirez thought darkly, but he was prudent enough not to voice this.  


"Let's just drop anchor first, to keep from drifting," the brunet captain added. "That way we'll know where we are when we wake up."  


"Um..." Fina began. "Which way should I drop the anchor?"  


Vyse blinked and stared. "What?"  


"Well...there's ground above us and below us...and the islands around us seem to be upside-down... It's a little confusing..."  


"Er..." Vyse shrugged. "Drop to the ground below."  


"Why _is_ there ground in here, anyway?" Aika cut in. "I thought this planet was mostly air!"  


Vyse shrugged helplessly. "Damned if _I_ know."  


"I remember hearing a myth that the Dark Rift was the product of the destruction of a legendary seventh moon," Enrique added thoughtfully. "Supposedly that moon was black. But thousands of years ago, it was destroyed—the myth didn't state how, or why—and its fragments dropped to the earth and created the floating continents. The magic left behind in its wake created the Dark Rift, which separated the western world from the eastern world." He shrugged. "Well, it's just a myth, after all. It might be entirely made-up."  


"Still, it's pretty interesting," Vyse commented, frowning thoughtfully. "You know anything about it, Ramirez? Fina?"  


"No," the silver-haired Admiral stated flatly, and did not clarify.  


Fina just shrugged demurely, shaking her head.  


"Ahh, it doesn't matter," Aika said impatiently, waving a hand. "It's just a myth, and there's no way we could ever know for real. Let's just concentrate on getting through and out of here."  


"Yeah, point," Vyse agreed. "I just don't want a repeat of that accident earlier. Let's get this ship anchored and settle down for the, er, night."  


There was no way to tell the difference between night and day in the Dark Rift.  


  


  
Once all preparations had been completed, Vyse, Aika, Fina, Enrique, Ramirez and the other crew members of the Delphinus retired to their respective quarters. Ramirez had been ominously quiet ever since his monosyllabic contribution to the black moon myth conversation, and Vyse had a sinking feeling he knew why. The two reached Vyse's room in silence and prepared for bed in silence, until Vyse couldn't stand it anymore.  


"Ramirez, what's eating you?"  


The Silvite blinked and stared at the Blue Rogue, his internal monologue interrupted. "Excuse me?"  


Vyse stared at him levelly, crossing his arms. "What's wrong? You've been quiet this entire trip."  


Ramirez shut his eyes, the only sign of his annoyance a slight twitch of the eyebrow, and shrugged. "Nothing."  


"Bull," he countered. "Between what happened with your hand and the fact that you _always_ have a complaint about how I do things, there must be _something_ bothering you."  


The silver-haired Silvite chuckled dryly, opening his eyes again. "Are you giving me leave to complain freely, 'Captain'?" he inquired with a faint but distinct undertone of sarcasm.  


Vyse sighed, rolling his eyes as he removed his glass eye patch. "Whatever makes you happy."  


Ramirez narrowed his eyes. "You're grossly incompetent," he stated, not bothering to soften his words or tone. "It's all well and good for you to satisfy your own wanderlust, but to endanger the lives of your so-called friends as well? And you're trying to convince me that you're different from other self-serving humans? You're nothing but a hypocrite."  


Vyse flinched, then shrugged it off. "Everyone on this ship knew the risks," he replied. "They came along willingly."  


"_I_ didn't come along willingly."  


"You had your chance to run off and rejoin 'Lord' Galcian when Gregorio showed up," Vyse said, getting irritated. "I never said you couldn't leave."  


"And I was supposed to assume this _how_?" Ramirez demanded, emerald eyes flashing. "You never said I couldn't leave, but you also never said I _could_ leave!"  


"And how would I have stopped you if you'd really wanted to leave, if you're as strong as you'd like everyone to believe?"  


Ramirez was silent.  


Inside, Vyse cheered. /_Awesome! I win another_ argument!!_/ However, he diplomatically realized that if he wanted to befriend Ramirez, he shouldn't be a jerk, so he gently said, "The truth is that you wanted to come, isn't it?"  
_

"Don't assume my reasons," Ramirez snapped, eyes flashing dangerously.  


"Then what _are_ your reasons?"  


"They're none of your business."  


Vyse made a face and took a step forward towards him, causing Ramirez to instinctively take a step back.  


"How's your hand?" Vyse queried, reaching for it. Ramirez, however, pulled it out of reach. "Is it better?"  


"It's fine, and I wish you wouldn't ask such things," Ramirez growled, glaring at the Air Pirate.  


"Oh, stop being an ass," Vyse snapped before shooting out and snatching Ramirez's left hand into his own and pulling it close for inspection.  


"What in the Moons do you think you're doing?!" Ramirez demanded, blushing, but beyond that doing nothing as Vyse peeled off his glove.  


"Quit whining, you're a man. Does this hurt?" the brunet inquired as he pressed his thumb to Ramirez's palm.  


"...No," the Silvite muttered sullenly.  


"How about this?" Vyse asked again, changing the place of applied pressure.  


"No."  


"Here?"  


"No! Will you stop it?" Ramirez snapped, finally pulling his hand away and retreating several steps, glaring at the Blue Rogue.  


"Well, excuse me for caring about your well-being!" Vyse said, glaring back. "Well, forget it. If you're so adamant about being fine, then I'll just believe you. Good night!" And with that, he turned his back to the Valuan Admiral, got into his bed and pulled the sheets and blanket over his body, grumbling to himself.  


Ramirez regarded him, sullen, and holding his left hand to his chest, he laid down on his bedding and drew the blankets over his thin body. He nervously fingered his shirt; for reasons he didn't care to explore, much less admit, the entire episode had left him slightly unnerved.  


"...Vyse?"  


Vyse turned over, slightly surprised that Ramirez was addressing him after their disagreement. "What?"  


"Why do you care? Don't you think it's strange?" the young Silvite inquired softly.  


Vyse frowned, looking down at him. "What's strange?"  


"Being so concerned about an enemy," Ramirez replied, his eyes fixed on the ceiling through the darkness. "Why do you care if an enemy gets hurt?"  


The Blue Rogue stared, honestly surprised. "Why _shouldn't_ I care?"  


"Your kindness may be your undoing one day. People will take advantage of it," he said quietly.  


Vyse shrugged. "I guess there are some low-lifes who'd do that," he conceded. "But there are a lot of people who deserve kindness. If you act bitter and reject everybody just because of a small handful of jerks, then you really miss out on what all the decent people have to offer."  


Ramirez turned his gaze to the Blue Rogue. "Offer?"  


"Things like friendship. Trust. Loyalty. Love," Vyse listed with the hope that his companion intended to listen, sitting up.  


The young Silvite redirected his verdure gaze back into the darkness, feeling his cheeks burn. "Is that so..."  


"Yeah! I mean," Vyse continued, "whatever your reasons for it, you trust Galcian, right? So you know that there's at least one decent person in this world, right?"  


"There's _only_ one decent person in this world," Ramirez stated flatly, again donning his usual mask.  


"No, now you're being illogical," Vyse argued. "There's a lot of people in the world. I don't know what happened to you when you first came down to this world, but you can't shut off your heart just because of a few initial bad experiences. That's not fair to everyone who wants to be your friend."  


Ramirez snorted. "Do you realize how insipid you sound?"  


"Yeah, well...being corny doesn't make it less true."  


There were a few long moments of silence before Vyes cleared his throat. "Uh...if you don't mind my asking..." he began hesitantly, "...what _did_ happen to you when you came down here?"  


"I don't want to talk about it," Ramirez stated in a guarded tone.  


"That bad, huh?" The traces of sympathy in Vyse's voice were unmistakable, and Ramirez clenched his teeth in anger.  


"And I _don't_ want your pity."  


Vyse sighed and turned his back to the Admiral once again. "Yeah, I know. And you don't want to talk about it. Sorry I ever asked. G'night."  


"...Good night," Ramirez murmured, greeting the rogue's back with his own.  


The two didn't speak to each other again that night. Vyse quickly fell asleep, his breathing reflecting his change in brain waves, but Ramirez, who never slept well, remained awake.  


/_I am in complete control of my emotions... So why did my pulse quicken when he touched me like that?_/ he brooded. /_There was nothing to it. He was just foolishly trying to see if I was injured._/ His left hand fisted around his blanket. The wooziness from earlier had worn off, and he felt physically fine, though somewhat unsettled. /_But...but... No, I can't think that. It's wrong and appalling, and a sin. I am in complete control of my emotions; I can stop these feelings anytime I please._/  


Ramirez sat up and glared over at the slumbering Air Pirate who had engendered these unwelcome emotions. "It's all your fault," he muttered darkly as he made his way over to the bed, glowering down at Vyse's somnolent form. "You're doing this to me..."  


Vyse shifted in his sleep, and his bangs fell into his peacefully shut eyes. Ramirez, out of reaction, raised a hand, then hesitated, and reached slowly to his face.  


/_If he wakes up now, I'll be mortified..._/ he thought as he stroked the rogue's face, brushing the strands of hair away. Vyse remained asleep, though, and Ramirez, feeling embarrassed by the slight touch, drew away and retreated to his bedding again.  


/_...Why did I do that...?_/  


He pondered the question several hours into the night, but received no answer.  


  


  
The next morning, Aika and Fina awoke earlier than usual, and going down to the kitchen together to help themselves to breakfast, their conversation turned once again to the heated subject of yesterday.  


"I just don't understand him," Aika grumbled, simultaneously frying scrambled eggs and sausage links. "He was kind of spacey all yesterday, after he walked in on our last argument. It doesn't seem in his character."  


"He's more sensitive than you might think," Fina replied quietly as she set the table. There was no need to ask of whom Aika was speaking; the young Silvite lady already knew. "He must have been through some terrible ordeals while here in Arcadia. It's so awful... For a long time, it was his dream to come down here... I'm almost certain his cold mien is his way of protecting himself from being hurt further."  


"Hmm..." Aika considered that for a moment. "It makes sense, I guess. You know I'm not going to understand fully until I know what he used to be like, though."  


Fina had to smile; that was as close to subtle as the brash redheaded rogue ever came. "I don't know that I should speak of him..." she said, though. "He _did_ ask me not to talk about him."  


Aika snorted as she lifted the waffle iron and pulled out the freshly made waffles onto a large plate. "He doesn't have any right to talk to you like that!" she argued, adding the scrambled eggs and sausage to the plate and carrying it over to the table. "If he wants you to respect his wishes, then he should respect _your_ wishes! I hate men who think they can get away with pulling that kind of crap just because they're men, or just because they're dealing with a woman!"  


"No, Ramirez isn't like that," Fina protested quickly as Aika served her. "He's always been very kind to me, very gentle..."  


"Well, he isn't _now_."  


The platinum blonde-haired young woman flinched. "He's..." she murmured, gazing sadly down at the food on her plate. "He's in a disadvantageous situation. That's one thing about him that hasn't changed; he always acted hostile when he was on the defensive."  


"What about him _did_ change?" Aika queried after her first bite of waffles, watching her extraterrestrial friend.  


Fina sighed and decided to give in to her friend's inquiries. "A lot," she confessed. "He seems to have lost his spirit, his passion for exploring... He used to have a collection of maps, and he built miniatures of ships, and was always looking down at the blue skies of Arcadia. He was always fascinated with how much more..._alive_ it seemed than...than the place where we lived."  


"Where did you live?" the female Air Pirate queried, cutting up her sausages and munching on them thoughtfully.  


Fina shook her head, beginning to eat her own food. "It's a bit complicated," she explained. "Let's just say that it's...a long distance away, and very high up...so much so that it was...practically not on this planet."  


Chewing on a mouthful of sausage, Aika nodded her acceptance of this, not aware of how truthful Fina was being.  


"So as I was saying, Ramirez had changed from how everything was here where non-Silvites live," the pale-blonde Silvite continued. "Let's see... Ramirez was enthralled by how diverse the life is on Arcadia; there aren't many living things where we live...along with geography and cartography, biology was one of his favorite subjects. And, although he was naturally talented at it, and did have _some_ interest in it, swordsmanship didn't captivate him as much as these things. But now..."  


"But now, it looks like that's all he's doing with himself?" Aika suggested when her friend fell silent.  


Fina nodded. "That's how it seems," she murmured despondently. "I wish I knew what happened to him. He used to believe in the inherent goodness of humanity."  


Aika spat out her scrambled eggs. "Sorry, sorry," she said, blushing, when Fina stared. "But that really surprised me. _Ramirez_? Believe in the goodness of humanity??"  


The green-eyed young lady nodded. "The Elders taught us," she said dejectedly, "that the humans of Arcadia were petty and thoughtless, and it was their own greed and selfishness that caused them to hate each other and kill each other and lay waste to the earth. But Ramirez always rejected these ideas, saying that people who live on such a beautiful planet can't be all bad, and reasoning that it had been a thousand years since the Silvites had last contacted the humans, so any records of those humans could be inaccurate now. I was always impressed by how he stood up for his own beliefs, even though he knew he would get punished...I wouldn't have ever dared to defy the Elders, despite that I secretly agreed with him."  


Aika thoughtfully took all this in, finishing the end of her meal. "That's...just amazing," she commented. "Really amazing. You were saying he was always headstrong and getting punished?"  


"Yes," Fina nodded, "though it was only until..." She hesitated, a shadow of sorrow crossing her lovely face. "Something happened when he was twelve, and after that, he became much more demure."  
  
"Hmmm..." the redhead murmured.  
  
The Silvite girl shook her head and continued, "But before then, Ramirez would, for example, deliberately get into long, drawn-out arguments with Elder Prime. I'm not sure Elder Prime entirely disapproved of this; debates served to sharpen the intellect, I recall him once saying. But it was disrespect nonetheless, and win or lose, Ramirez would end up getting punished. Usually he was made to stay in his room."  
  
"That's kind of a lame punishment."  
  
"...For twenty-four hours, without any contact with anyone."  


Aika dropped her fork and her jaw. "_Twenty-four_—a whole frickin' _day_?!" she gasped, horrified. "He was just a kid!! How can anybody lock up a kid for a whole day?! Without seeing or hearing anyone else?! And just for having a mind of his own, too!!"  


Fina shrugged her tattooed shoulders sadly. "Ramirez was always so stubborn," she murmured. "He would never apologize. And the Elders were extremely strict; they never let him out before the twenty-four hours were over. He was given food and drink, of course, and he was allowed a chamber pot; he just wasn't allowed to see or speak to anyone. I always felt so sorry for him, but there wasn't anything I could do to help..." She sighed unhappily. "I wonder if he ever blames me for not being stronger..."  


"He'd better not! It's not your fault his life was awful!" the enflamed redhead growled.  


The blonde-haired young woman shook her head emphatically. "His life wasn't awful," she protested. "And neither was mine. It was just...lonely sometimes. He...he never knew his parents, you know...but that was all right. I still had my mother, and we would play with her sometimes. My mother was sickly ever since giving birth to me, though, and couldn't do much...but she was still kind and gentle, regardless, and we all loved each other dearly. I think perhaps that Ramirez, whose own mother died at his birth, may have loved her more than I did... He took her...death...much more harshly than I did, in any case. That's the thing that happened when he was twelve to cause his introversion."  


Aika gazed at Fina compassionately. "Your mom's dead? I'm really sorry..." she said. "I can sympathize, though. I never really knew my parents either... They both died when I was a little kid. I heard it was because of a boating accident, but nobody ever told me the details. I guess I don't really want to know, either. I was more or less raised by Vyse's parents...I still lived at my parents' house, but they were the ones that made sure I was fed and clothed and clean and stuff. And Vyse has been my best friend since forever...I owe them a lot, really. I guess," she added suddenly, eyes wide with revelation, "you and I had a pretty similar childhood, Fina. Except maybe I'm a little more well-adjusted."  


Fina stared, and Aika grinned back mischievously. Finally, the young Silvite lady smiled as well and laughed.  


"If only we could say that about our respective 'big brothers'," she added.  


"Oh yeah. Vyse would be so totally lost without me," Aika smirked, crossing her arms. "He likes to pretend he's a big boy, but he's really just a hopeless case."  


"Who's a hopeless case?" a voice called down to them. The girls looked up and saw Enrique, yawning into one hand and walking down the stairs. "And I hope you made enough breakfast for me."  


"Sorry, Enrique," Aika grinned sheepishly. "If you want, I'll make you some."  


"That's all right," he smiled. "I can do it myself."  


"You sure? Do you know how to cook?"  


"...Er, no. Not really," the young Prince confessed as he reached the bottom of the staircase. "But it can't be _that_ difficult, right?"  


Fina and Aika exchanged a glance, and the latter got to her feet. "Let me cook for you. Besides, you might be feeling all right now, but later the ship's gonna be moving again, and you're going to need something easy on your stomach."  


Enrique made a face. "Yes, you are right..." he conceded. "I'm sorry to trouble you, Aika."  


The carrot-haired Blue Rogue waved a hand impatiently. "People help each other," she dismissed it. "That's life."  


Fina smiled up at her friend. "Aika, you like helping others, don't you?"  


She shrugged, smiling. "It's my way of showing the world I care."  


The flaxen-haired Prince sat next to Fina as Aika started up the kitchen again. "So, what were you two talking about, if I may ask?" he queried, loudly enough to carry to them both.  


"Ohohohoho...this and that," Aika called back, grinning. "Don't worry, we weren't bad-mouthing you."  


Enrique smiled nervously. "Ah...right."  


Fina giggled into her hand. "We were talking about Vyse, actually," she told him. "And...Ramirez."  


The Prince of Valua nodded somberly, recognizing the sensitivity of that subject. "Should I inquire after the details, or leave it be?"  


"Well...I suppose, if you don't tell Ramirez what I told you, it would be all right," Fina decided, and she relayed to Enrique what she had conveyed to Aika.  


"…I see…" he said, after she had finished. After a moment of thought, he asked, "Pardon me, for I realize this to be a very sensitive subject, but...and please, if you don't want to answer, please don't feel compelled to...but…how did you three feel about each other? Also, what happened to your father, or Ramirez's parents?"  


Fina was quiet for a moment, then responded, "No... It's all right. I don't mind talking about it.  


"I do not know who my father was, or who Ramirez's parents were... Ramirez is older than myself, so I'm unaware of many of the details. But Ramirez and I were the only children born, as our respective mothers were the two remaining female Silvites...he and I are our entire generation. My mother, though, raised us two as if we were both her children, even though my birth left her bedridden. She would sing to us, and tell us stories...she also loved Arcadia, possibly even more than Ramirez did. She yearned to go there someday, to see what the people there were like. I suppose perhaps it's because of that that my mother and Ramirez had the special bond that they did. Do you remember that song I sang for you a few days ago, Enrique?"  


He nodded. "It was very beautiful. Thank you for singing it for me."  


Fina blushed and nodded, smiling, and continued, "Well, that song, '_The Midday Moon_', is an ancient Silvite folksong. It even goes back a thousand years, from the past Rains of Destruction. I remember, once, Ramirez and my mother had a discussion on the possibility that the song had originated in Arcadia... But in any case, that was one of several songs that Hahaue sang to us. She even wrote and composed many of her own songs...she did so love music. She once told me that...let me think... 'Song is a way to convey the feelings that you cannot speak.'"  


Enrique smiled. "That philosophy sort of reminds me of a Valuan songstress I've heard," he commented. "If I ever get the chance, I'll have to let you hear some of her music...but please go on."  


"Yes..." Fina sighed. "In any case, Hahaue raised Ramirez and me, and after he was punished, Hahaue would always comfort him... I think perhaps not having his own biological mother made him value Hahaue even more. And so...when she died..." She cast her eyes downward. "It wasn't a big shock," she murmured. "Except perhaps to us, her 'children'. She had been in poor health for years, and the Elders were astonished that she had managed to live up until my thirteenth year, but... Death took her in the end. And although I wept bitterly, it was for my own sake; my mother, having been crippled and most likely in pain for thirteen years, must have felt immense relief when the Grim Reaper set her spirit free.  


"Ramirez, however...Ramirez...was quiet. He was never quiet as a child, you see...always asking questions, getting into things, learning something new, getting into trouble. But when Hahaue died...he was quiet. He didn't say anything for days; he didn't cause any trouble at all... It was like, when she died, part of him had died as well. After I came to terms with and accepted Hahaue's death, I began to seriously worry for Ramirez...it wasn't like him to let his spirits be dampened. But when I tried to talk to him, he would just act stoic and pretend like nothing was wrong... He's become a quiet person ever since then, actually. Quiet and reserved...and always hiding his true feelings..."  


Fina wiped a hand across her eyes then, and Enrique and Aika, who had finished cooking Enrique's breakfast and brought it over by then, prudently did not comment on how that hand came away wet.  


  


  
Many hours passed as the crew of the Delphinus attempted to make their way out of the Dark Rift once again. Enrique, whose stomach wasn't bothering him as much that day, couldn't help but get bored; the monsters from yesterday seemed nonexistent today. He wasn't sure if that was a good sign or a bad sign, but it did give him plenty of time to muse over what Fina had told him. Careful to be discreet, Enrique watched Ramirez and Vyse out of the corner of his eye. He hadn't been present when it had been decided that Ramirez would share Vyse's room (a fact which still made him slightly guilty; he would have been happy to share, especially since he and Ramirez bore no animosity towards each other), so he only knew of the details indirectly. However, from what he'd been told, neither party had been overly thrilled with the decision. In addition, Ramirez had openly threatened to kill Vyse; Enrique couldn't understand how Vyse managed to sleep at night, knowing that possible death was resting a few feet away. The tension fluctuated constantly between the two; sometimes it was as if Vyse were completely at ease with the Silvite Admiral, and at other times, it seemed as if he couldn't get far enough away. Ramirez, on the other hand, was sometimes as easy to read as an illuminated sign; but other times, such as now, his emotions and expressions were impenetrable.  


Enrique frowned slightly as he glanced back at the male Silvite. His expression was neutral—blank and unfocused, as if he were staring at something that was not there. The young Prince had to wonder if he was paying attention at all, or if he were daydreaming.  


Enrique smiled to himself. The thought of Ramirez daydreaming was, despite the situation, unmistakably amusing.  


He redirected his gaze to Vyse and the girls. The captain of the Delphinus was quietly steering the ship, eyes bright as he scanned the scene. Fina and Aika, however, having little to do since most of the controls were malfunctioning, looked just as bored as he felt. Hoping that Vyse, who was technically doing all the work, wouldn't mind, Enrique crossed the room and joined the two.  


"How are you doing?" he queried.  


"Not so hot. There's not much to do except watch the compass go haywire," Aika replied with a slight shrug. "Poor Vyse. He's still busy, busy, busy."  


"Actually, he looks kind of happy to me..." Fina commented, her eyes on the young Blue Rogue.  


Vyse did indeed look in high spirits, his brown eyes shining as they searched the darkness. It was a distinct upturn from yesterday, when he had been becoming disgruntled from the fruitlessness of the search.  


"That's Vyse for you," Aika laughed. "He's best off when in the thick of things. He's kind of ignoring us, though..."  


Enrique grinned and lowered his voice, saying, "At least this way he won't crash into anything."  


Aika laughed and said, "That reminds me, how's your stomach?"  


The young Prince grimaced; the sailing had been smooth so far, and not thinking about his airsickness had been keeping it at a level he could tolerate. But now that it had been brought up again... "It was all right until you mentioned it," he murmured, leaning against the control panel. "Ugh..."  


Aika grinned nervously, patting his back. "Heh heh...sorry about that, Enrique..."  


Fina smiled and rubbed Enrique's back. "There, there," she consoled him, "you'll get used to it eventually..."  


"I hope so..." Enrique groaned. "I really hate this..."  


The young Silvite lady abruptly glanced over at Ramirez, who was still paying none of them any heed. _/He's gotten so good at making himself indecipherable,_/ she thought. /_I wonder if he's not paying attention or just pretending./_ Both thoughts were equally unsettling. If he were indeed paying attention, then he was probably listening in on their conversation. And if someone were to slip about what they had spoken of that morning, then he would certainly be very angry with her. But if he wasn't paying attention…then something had to be deeply troubling him. As a soldier, being caught off-guard could mean death; even Fina understood that.  


Enrique, troubled though he was by his sickness, noticed her sudden silence, as well as the direction of her gaze, and came to some quick conclusions. In a low voiced, he addressed her, "You're worried about him?"  


Fina shifted her gaze to the floor and didn't answer. She didn't have to. Enrique glanced over at Aika, and shared a nod before the Prince of Valua got to his feet, and walked over to the silver-haired man.  


"Ramirez?"  


"Yes?"  


Enrique blinked, somewhat stunned. He hadn't expected such a prompt reply. From his expression, though, Ramirez seemed as if he hadn't heard anything at all; nothing about it had changed.  


"...Are you feeling all right?" the young Prince inquired hesitantly.  


Ramirez was silent for a moment. Finally, he replied in a neutral tone, "There is no reason for you to worry about me."  


Enrique looked over his shoulder at the girls, who both shrugged helplessly, and turned back. Choosing his words carefully, the Prince of Valua spoke, "Ramirez, I understand that you...have led a difficult life. Perhaps you have grown used to...looking out for yourself, since no one else would. However, that is not necessary on this ship. We bear you no ill will, truly; you needn't maintain your personal shields against us."  


"If those are words of friendship, you're speaking them quite formally," Ramirez noted.  


The young Prince acknowledged that this was true with some chagrin. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I was trying to be polite, and I suppose I overdid it."  


Ramirez's jade-green eyes shifted over to Enrique, the first alteration in his expression for hours. "Prince Enrique, you don't have to feel as if you need to be friendly with me," he said in a cool tone. "No matter what anyone has said about me."  


Enrique, Aika and Fina simultaneously blushed.  


Ramirez narrowed his eyes slightly. So his guess _had_ been correct, after all... "Fina," he called over to his childhood friend, his voice considerably colder, "what did you say about me, and how much?"  


Fina's blush deepened, and she began to reply when Aika cut in, "It's none of your business!"  


Ramirez's expression darkened, and he turned towards the redheaded rogue. "It is entirely my business," he said, his tone glacial, "for she was speaking of me without my knowledge after I expressly told her not to."  


"Whine, whine, whine!" Aika snapped, her arms akimbo. "You want respect, you have to give it, you great big jerk!!"  


Any forthcoming argument was cut off by a whoop of joy from Vyse. The crew members, surprised, turned to him, and he grinned back at them, pointing at a spot of light surrounded by a somewhat brighter patch of darkness amidst the gloom.  


"Check it out, guys! It's the exit!" he cheered.  


More staring.  


"How can you be sure it's the exit?" Ramirez questioned skeptically.  


"'Cause it's brighter! That means we're almost out into the sunlight!" was Vyse's impeccable logic. Turning back to it, he added, "...And there's a giant monster coming out of it! What else would it be there for, if not to guard the exit?!"  


The others now stared at each other, bewildered.  


"Hey! What are you just looking at each other for?!" Vyse demanded. "Battle stations, NOW!"  


Aika, Fina and Enrique quickly manned their respective stations and began preparations for battle as the Delphinus engaged the serpentine monster emerging from the light patch of darkness. Ramirez regarded them all, hanging back; he supposed he would act as spectator to another of Vyse's battles. Although it ill-suited him, perhaps it was for the best; after all, it wouldn't do to act as if he were part of the crew.  


"Hey! Ramirez!"  


The malachite green-eyed Admiral blinked and looked over at Vyse, who was grinning at him over his shoulder. "What?"  


"Don't just stand there! Come here and help!"  


Ramirez blinked again. "What?"  


Vyse's grin widened. "You're fighting too this time!"  


The young Silvite blinked a third time, then shrugged and swiftly joined Enrique on the left side of the control room. As he began his own preparations, Ramirez glanced furtively back at Vyse, who looked beside himself with delight.  


"This is it, everyone!" he cried, pointing at the giant eel. "We just need to beat this thing and then we're home free!!"  


Ramirez had no idea where the Air Pirate's insane optimism came from, but for once, he hoped he was right.**  
  
  
**

* * *

**  
NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal __Arcadia [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong.  
_

**  
Aika:** "_I'm gonna be watching you, Ramirez, and if you try anything funny, I'm gonna kick your butt clear over the Moons!!_"**  
Ianthe:** Yay for _Chrono Cross_ references.**  
  
Ayu:** Yeah, in this chapter, we decided to focus a little more on the characters who are quickly becoming minor key, because there's only so much you can do with Ramirez angsting and Vyse not getting it before it all gets old. And, since we did that, there wasn't much in the way of plot advancement or action...but at least we now have a clearer picture of Ramirez and Fina's lives on the Great Silver Shrine. Or _you do, rather. We made it up, so of course we already know.**  
  
Ayu:** The title of this chapter is a line from an image duet from the CD drama _Chrono Crusade_, _Castle In The Air_. Full lyrics can be found at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!_, the link to which you can find below.**  
  
Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com**  
Contact Ianthe of d.I: ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))****  
Contact Ayu of d.I: ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net)) **_


	6. Chapter 06: Eranda Kono Michi, Tatoe Are...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  
**Chapter 6:** Eranda Kono Michi, Tatoe Arehatete Itemo  
(_Even If This Path I Chose Becomes Dilapidated_)

  
  
  
  


"YEAH!! We made it through the Dark Rift!!" Vyse cheered as the Delphinus soared into the blue sky from the black sky rift.  
  
"We rule!" Aika cheered, punching a fist into the air. "Now we just have to get to Yafutoma and get the Blue Moon Crystal!"  
  
"I find it amazing how you make it sound like such an easy thing," Ramirez commented, his first unprovoked statement for the day.  
  
Aika and Vyse shrugged a little, then both grinned. "It can't be any tougher than what we've done up 'til now!" the latter reasoned.  
  
Ramirez silently admitted that this was true, and though he was impressed that they had actually made it through the Dark Rift, he of course didn't tell them that. There was no point in making their egos swell any further.  
  
As the Delphinus and its crew's morale soared through the azure sky, they passed a minor sky rift, and then, moving north, they encountered a vast wall encircling an unseen area; many portions of it were dilapidated and fallen. The compass jumped hysterically as they moved on, and stopping briefly to inspect the area, they discovered that it was an ancient Yafutoman structure called the Guardian Walls. A similar event had occurred only minutes earlier with the nest of a bird called an uguisu, which was a sign among sailors that a human city was nearby, and the two almost simultaneous discoveries only helped to bolster the already towering morale of Vyse and his crew. Once the two discoveries were recorded, the Delphinus moved on towards a distant island country, presumably Yafutoma, and even Ramirez was looking forward to visiting the strange land.  
  
They were roughly halfway from the Guardian Walls to Yafutoma when they were attacked by out of nowhere by a double-ship with a red sail and a blue sail accompanied by a small fleet of ships with brightly colored purple and red paper sails.  
  
The crew of the Delphinus was rocked violently to one side when the attack connected, and yelling in surprise, they moved immediately into battle mode. Although the ships astoundingly could move high into the sky, beyond the range of normal gunfire, the Delphinus' torpedoes could still reach them, and before long, the normal boats were defeated and on the run. However, there still remained the odd double-boat, which had for some reason stayed out of the battle, and now loomed ominously before them.  
  
"Man, what _is_ that thing, anyway?" Aika wondered. "It's one ship...or maybe it's two...or is it one?"  
  
"It's getting closer..." Enrique noted just before it swooped by and came to a sudden halt next to the ship.  
  
"Hey, what the heck—?!" the scarecrow-haired piratess exclaimed. "What the heck do they think they're doing?!"  
  
"I'm willing to guess they aren't the welcome committee!" Vyse said. "Come on, let's get on deck and see what they want! It looks like there's only the two of them!"  
  
Vyse ran, closely followed by Aika, Fina, Enrique and then Ramirez, out of the control room, leaving Marco to hold their position, and made his way to the deck, where the two invaders, nearly identical in appearance, waited.  
  
"Westerners..." a voice called down to them from the strange Yafutoman ship.  
  
The five looked up to see two dusky-skinned men, almost identical in appearance, glare down at them. They both had black eyes and strangely style black hair; however, the armor of the one who had spoken was red, while the armor of the one who had yet to speak was blue.  
  
"...You are a long way from home," the blue-armored one called.  
  
"Yeah, we noticed," Vyse yelled up at them. "What do you want?!"  
  
The two men stood. "I am Jao," stated one with the red armor.  
  
"I am Mao," the one with the blue armor declared. "It is our quest..."  
  
"...to collect one thousand swords," Jao completed. They leaped down from their ship onto the deck of the Delphinus, both of them landing perfectly, and faced Vyse and the others. "You have..." Jao, and then Mao stated, "two options. You can surrender and give us your swords..." Mao began, and Jao finished, "...or you can die, and we will take them."  
  
"Nothing doing!" the Blue Rogue snapped, pulling those swords from their respective sheaths. "You want them, you'll have to fight me for them!!"  
  
The two Yafutoman pirates laughed out loud. Jao said, "You wish..." and Mao continued, "for an honorable battle?" Jao stated, "That is how we prefer it! But..." Mao spoke, "by yourself, you are no match..." and Jao completed, "for the two of us."  
  
Jao took a step forward. "If any of your companions wields a sword..."  
  
Mao stepped up to join him. "...Then let him fight beside you."  
  
Vyse glanced back at Enrique, who nodded and took a step forward. Before he could advance any further, though, Ramirez placed a hand on his shoulder, restraining him.  
  
"My apologies, Your Highness," he said in a neutral tone. "But since I am a better swordsman than you, please allow me to fight this battle."  
  
Vyse, Aika, Fina and Enrique all stared at the silver-haired youth, who kept his gaze trained on the Prince of Valua.  
  
"It is true that you are better with a sword than me, Ramirez," Enrique said after a few seconds. "But you don't have a sword."  
  
"I will if you lend me yours," Ramirez countered calmly.  
  
Enrique blinked, then looked over at Vyse, who nodded once.  
  
"Let him borrow it," said the brunet captain. "He's so eager to fight, after all..."  
  
The corner of Ramirez's mouth twitched upwards once as Enrique drew his sword and gave it to him, but other than that, his expression did not change. "I can't risk you getting yourself killed, Vyse," he commented dryly as he walked up to join the Air Pirate.  
  
"Aww, how cute," Vyse said sarcastically, "Ramirez cares whether I live or die."  
  
"Weren't you paying attention the first time I told you? It isn't whether you live or die. It's whether I kill you or your stupidity kills you," Ramirez replied dryly.  
  
The two Tenkou pirates watched the exchange, sweating slightly.  
  
"Foreigners certainly..." Mao began, and Jao concluded, "are strange."  
  
"Yeah, well...we're unusual by anyone's standards," Vyse grinned, moving into battle position.  
  
"Westerners..." Jao began; Mao concluded, "prepare yourselves."  
  
"The same goes for you," Ramirez stated smoothly. "Now that I'm in this battle, both of you will die."  
  
"Rude," Jao observed, taking up a battle stance.   
  
"And overconfident," Mao added, moving into a fighting position. "Come at us, westerners..."  
  
"If you dare!" Jao concluded.  
  
Vyse and Ramirez did dare, and with a flash of three green blades, they charged at the twin Yafutomans, Vyse facing Mao, Ramirez attacking Jao.  
  
Fina, Enrique and Aika hung back, watching the fight. Although Mao and Jao were unarmed, they had considerable strength and talent; even faced with Vyse and Ramirez's power, they were holding their own.  
  
"Hey," Aika whispered to her friends, "d'you really think it's a good idea to let Ramirez have a sword?"  
  
"It's a little late to do anything about that," Enrique replied. "Besides, Vyse said it was all right, and I trust his judgment. Besides, my preferred type of sword, the rapier class, is quite different to what I understand he is used to, so that may have an effect on things."  
  
Aika scowled. "Yeah, well...for some bizarre reason, Vyse seems to have a blind spot where Ramirez is concerned."  
  
"Vyse is trying to befriend Ramirez," Fina said. "I don't think he's being too soft on him or anything."  
  
The redhead shrugged. "Yeah, you _are_ right," she conceded. "But still, I think we have to keep a closer eye on Ramirez. It's just crazy to think that he's not planning to stab us in the back when we least expect it."  
  
"I'm not saying that we should trust him _entirely_, per se," Enrique argued, "but at the same time, if we want him to feel welcome and at ease, and gain his friendship—or at the very least, remove his hostility—then some measure of trust is necessary. Would _you_ want to be friends with someone who obviously didn't trust you?"  
  
Aika made a face, and Fina giggled a bit, despite the battle that still raged in the background.  
  
"I like to think I'm a _little_ different from him," the redhead muttered grudgingly.  
  
Fina was about to make a comment when a scream pierced the air. The three looked sharply in alarm at the battlefield to see Ramirez pulling Enrique's sword out of Jao's body, and Jao collapsing and clutching at the bloody wound left behind. At first it looked as if the wound was mortal, but Jao managed to back away, with Mao coming next to him, having been defeated by Vyse in a less violent manner, to help him.  
  
"Oh, good, now you're together; that will make it easier," the three heard Ramirez say, and he moved to attack the two at once. However, Vyse blocked him and held him back, giving the Tenkou pirates time to retreat further.  
  
"Westerners, you are strong," Mao declared.  
  
"We...will meet again," Jao breathed, stopping the flow of his life fluids with a fist in the wound. With that, the two leaped over the railing of the Delphinus, causing Aika, Fina and Enrique to come running up in shock; but the two had landed on their own ship, which rose and moved away as soon as they were in a safe position.  
  
"We are the commanders of the Tenkou pirates," Mao called to them, his strong voice carrying over the winds.  
  
"The next time we meet...will surely be your deaths!" Jao yelled, and with that, the dragon-shaped double ships soared high into the heavens and out of sight.  
  
Once they were gone, Vyse turned to Ramirez.  
  
"You didn't have to try to kill them, you know," he said angrily. "They might have been willing to kill us, but that doesn't mean we should have been trying to do the same thing. Plus they were unarmed!"  
  
"You would have preferred to surrender your blades?" Ramirez queried coldly. "That seems out of your character, Vyse."  
  
"That's _not_ what I'm talking about!" the young captain argued. "We had swords. They had their bare fists. Why did you have to try to cut Jao into little pieces?!"  
  
"Oh, geez," Aika muttered in the background, placing her hands on her hips. "They're arguing _again_."  
  
"He was the enemy," Ramirez stated flatly. "If you don't destroy an enemy immediately, he may come back stronger to destroy you later."  
  
"Dammit, Ramirez, you're getting creepier and creepier every day!" Vyse shouted, sheathing his cutlasses. "I swear you're doing this deliberately just to freak me out!!"  
  
Ramirez smirked lightly. "A valid guess, but not everything I do is centered on you."  
  
It was a blatant lie, but Vyse had no way of knowing that.  
  
"And what about the sword you used?! Enrique lent it to you; you had no right to use it to try and take a life!" the brown-eyed pirate snapped.  
  
Ramirez regarded the rapier in his hand, still dripping with blood. "It _is_ impolite to return a dirty sword," he conceded.  
  
"You missed the point _entirely_—" But that was as far as Vyse got, for Ramirez took a quick step forward, grasped the pirate's left sleeve, drew it around the blade of Enrique's rapier and pulled the sword through, effectively cleaning off the blood.  
  
Vyse gaped. "You just—you just—I can't believe you just—"  
  
"Here is your rapier, Your Highness," Ramirez said, turning to Enrique, who hesitantly accepted the proffered sword. "My apologies for dirtying it."  
  
At that, Vyse's anger doubled. "You'll apologize for getting an easily cleaned sword dirty, but not for ruining my shirt?!"  
  
Ramirez glanced back at him. "What are you complaining about?"  
  
The Air Pirate stamped his foot, thoroughly vexed. "You got me all bloody!!"  
  
"The look suits you," the silver-haired young man replied calmly, the edge of his mouth twitching upwards.  
  
It took a moment for the implication of his statement to sink into Vyse. When it did, he throttled the air to keep from throttling Ramirez, then stalked off past him towards the door leading back into the Delphinus.  
  
"I'm getting changed," he muttered as he passed Aika. "Take over the helm for me, would you?"  
  
"Aye-aye, Captain," the redhead sighed as Vyse retreated into the ship. She turned to Ramirez and glared with all her might; he had the gall to look slightly amused.  
  
"_You_," she intoned, pointing a finger at him, "are IMPOSSIBLE. C'mon, Enrique, Fina, let's get back inside."  
  
The three left, with Enrique and Fina glancing back at Ramirez, who remained on the deck.  
  
Once they were gone, Ramirez laughed out loud. /_That was fun,_/ he smirked mentally as he turned toward the nearest guardrail and walked to it, admiring the spacious skies. /_Let's see if he can hold to his infantile philosophies now._/  
  
Ramirez enjoyed the feel of the wind blowing past him all the way to Yafutoma.  
  
  
  
"Stupid frickin' Ramirez, can't believe he got my shirt all bloody, he's just lucky I have a spare," Vyse muttered to himself as he balled up his now stained shirt and threw it in a corner. "I'm nice to him, I give him all these frickin' breaks, I even comfort him when he has a goddamn _nightmare_, and how does he thank me?! He cleans Enrique's stupid sword on my shirt!!" Pulling out a replacement shirt from his drawers and drawing it over his shoulders, he continued to rant, "Well, this is the last goddamn straw!! I'm sick of trying to be his friend!! He can friggin' _rot_ for all I care!! Stupid, stupid Ramirez..." Replacing his scarf and belt, which were still clean, Vyse stormed out of his room and made his way to the control room, still steaming.  
  
  
  
The Delphinus docked at the main capital of Yafutoma, and Vyse were greeted by a crowd of locals who stared and commented on their strange appearances—and confirmed for them that they were indeed in Yafutoma. Two royal guards ran down, and claiming that the Lord Mikado wished to meet them, escorted them to the royal palace and brought them before the royal family.  
  
The five stood in a line before the aged King, who sat upon a throne at the top of three steps; to his left stood the lovely young princess. To his right, at the bottom of the stairs, were two men with the distinct appearance of weasels, both of whom glared distrustfully at them. The King and Princess, who were the ones who counted, looked upon Vyse and his party benevolently, but Vyse was slightly nervous regardless, though he had the good sense not to let it show.  
  
"Visitors from the land of the setting sun," Mikado said in a low but pleasant voice, "what brings you through the Dark Rift to our land?"  
  
Vyse stood a little straighter and nodded politely. "We're on a quest," he told them. "We're here to explore your lands, and more importantly, we're seeking out the Blue Crystal."  
  
"The Blue Crystal?" Mikado repeated. "Hmm...I believe that you are referring to what we call the 'Magatama'. It has been missing, however, ever since the time of the Old World. It can be located somewhere in Mt. Kazai, which is near here; however, the interior of Mt. Kazai is extremely dangerous, and no one who has gone there has ever returned."  
  
Vyse nodded. "We understand that it's dangerous, but the importance of our mission outweighs the risks," he replied. "We have to get the Blue Crystal."  
  
"Hmm..." The King of Yafutoma regarded the young pirate silently for a moment, and then nodded. "Very well. I will assist you. However, in return I would like you to retrieve the Magatama for us."  
  
"Sire," the older of the weasel-like men spoke then, "as your advisor, I must strongly counsel against cooperating with these...people. They are westerners, and cannot be trusted. We must purge them from our midst!!"  
  
"Kangan, I appreciate your concern," Mikado said to him, briefly redirecting his gaze. "However, I believe that these young people can be trusted, so be reassured. And besides, Moegi, you have always been interested in the Western culture, have you not?"  
  
"Yes, Father," the young Princess replied demurely.  
  
Turning back to Vyse, he continued, "If you can retrieve the Magatama for us, I shall grant you anything you desire."  
  
"Thank you...actually, I was wondering if we could borrow the Crystal ourselves," Vyse replied.  
  
The King frowned slightly. "That alone I cannot grant," he said. "The Magatama is a symbol of the successor to the throne, and it is necessary to choose an heir. At the very least, I would like for it to remain in Yafutoma while you are here."  
  
Vyse sweated a bit. "Uh, I guess so..."  
  
"I will send a message to the ship parts dealer, down at the port, to escort you to Mt. Kazai," Mikado stated. "You may leave at any time. However, I recommend that you take a look around Yafutoma first, to settle down from your long trip."  
  
"Thank you very much," Vyse said, and the five were dismissed. Walking outside the palace to the exit to the city, Aika was the first to speak, as usual.  
  
"Hey, Vyse, what are we going to do about the Crystal?" she queried. "They want it, so we can't just take it from them..."  
  
Ramirez shifted his eyes over to her to watch the conversation, but said nothing as Fina added, "We might be able to persuade them to give us the Crystal, but if it's such an important symbol to them, it's possible that won't work..."  
  
Vyse shrugged. "Let's not worry about it now," he said. "For now, let's just concentrate on getting the Crystal in the first place."  
  
"Good idea," Aika nodded. "Best to take it one step at a time."  
  
"Er...speaking of one step at a time..." Enrique spoke up.  
  
"Yeah?" Vyse asked, turning to him.  
  
Ramirez caught the glance Enrique sent his way before continuing, "Er...how many of us should go to Mt. Kazai?"  
  
/_Not a bad attempt at a diplomatic way to say, 'What do we do about Ramirez?',_/ the aforementioned thought with slight amusement as Vyse narrowed his eyes and, turning his gaze to Ramirez, frowned at him.  
  
The Admiral and the Air Pirate stared each other down for a full minute, the silent tension rising in the air, until Ramirez finally said, "What His Highness meant to say was, 'What do we do about Ramirez?'. Judging from your extended silence, you seem to need a translation."  
  
Vyse scowled at the barely veiled insult, placing his hands on his hips. "I know what he meant," he growled. "I'm just trying to figure out what the heck to do with you."  
  
"Any ideas yet?" Ramirez queried, and forced himself to bite back another insult; provoking Vyse too much would end up costing him.  
  
"A bunch," Vyse replied. "Keelhauling comes to mind."  
  
Aika snickered, Fina looked clueless, Enrique looked alarmed. Ramirez, whose knowledge of sailing was horribly antiquated and outdated, and whose brief firsthand experience had hardly afforded him familiarity with everything about it, knew not the meaning of the term, so he maintained an indifferent mien. He had a feeling it was something he didn't want to happen, though.  
  
Vyse sighed in irritation when his comment provoked no reaction out of his intended target. "Doesn't _anything_ get to you?" he asked in exasperation.  
  
Ramirez studied the brunet rogue. "Letting things 'get to you' is generally bad practice," he replied. Moving straight to the topic at hand, Ramirez continued, "If you're going to take me along, I'll need a weapon. If you'd rather not risk a little more blood on your shirt, though, maybe it would be better to leave me behind."  
  
Vyse glared at the insolent Admiral. "You know, on some ships, keelhauling is standard procedure for any sailor who talks to their captain the way you talk to me," he snapped.  
  
"If you think it will help, by all means, go ahead and try," Ramirez replied, and received a perverse pleasure at the look of shock on the rogue's face.  
  
"You're insane!" Vyse managed to say after a moment.  
  
/_Not knowing what keelhauling is helps,_/ Ramirez thought, but had the good sense not to voice his internal comment.  
  
Another moment passed before Vyse threw up his hands in disgust. "You've had plenty of time to cool down since you first started traveling with us," he said. "But maybe you need a little more time. Stay on the Delphinus while we go to Mt. Kazai."  
  
/_Your funeral,_/ Ramirez mentally replied, but again, he bit back the rejoinder in favor of not pushing the agitated rogue too far. Instead, he just nodded and calmly accepted the order, which seemed to infuriate the Air Pirate further, though he didn't yell at Ramirez for it.  
  
"Let's go," Vyse muttered, moving out into the city of Yafutoma, and his companions followed.  
  
  
  
As they wandered the city of Yafutoma, the young captain thought to himself that perhaps Aika had been correct in some of her assumptions.  
  
"It would have been easier if I had just left him back there..." he muttered to himself, thinking back on the incident that had brought the troublesome Silvite into their midst.  
  
Vyse had been doing his best to keep his distance from Ramirez; he really didn't want to talk to him at all right now. He was beginning to feel that perhaps he had been mistaken in thinking that he had seen something in the other man. Still...there was that incident a few nights ago...  
  
The rogue shook his head. He really didn't have the time to dwell on that right now. He had to get some supplies for the trip into Mt. Kazai; that was the most important thing to be doing right now. 

He and his friends spent the next hour exploring Yafutoma, buying supplies and talking to the locals. Two girls, sisters named Urala and Kirala, even agreed to join Vyse's crew aboard the Delphinus, considerably lightening Vyse's mood; ever since he'd become its captain, due to one thing and another, he hadn't had the time to seek out crew members, and that made managing the giant ship extremely difficult. With those two helping them and Marco, it would make things much easier.  
  
Finally, Vyse and the others went to the ship parts dealer, who flew them to the top of Mt. Kazai, since the Delphinus was unable to go to those altitudes. Using the suits he had given them, they made their way down through the extinct volcano, and after fighting a giant shellfish, they finally found the Blue Moon Crystal.  
  
Celebrating with Fina and Aika, Vyse led them and Enrique out of Mt. Kazai. As they walked, talking cheerfully, the conversation turned somehow to Ramirez.  
  
"Oh, him?" Vyse said nonchalantly. "I dunno. He's pushed me to my limit, you know... I figure maybe we could dump him here." 

"Are you serious, Vyse?" Aika asked, staring.  
  
"Why not?" Vyse shrugged. "I'm tired of dealing with him. He's completely unfriendly, and if we leave him here, he won't be able to follow us for a while, if at all. We could ask King Mikado to make sure he doesn't leave, as a favor for getting the Blue Crystal for him."  
  
"You found a solution rather easily, didn't you," Enrique noted. "Before, you felt guilty about using the easy way out, isn't that right? Why has that changed?"  
  
"He's one person, and here, he can't get reinforcements from Valua. This is the best place to leave him," Vyse argued.  
  
Fina cast her eyes downward and said nothing.   
  
Aika shrugged, folding her arms behind her head; she hadn't noticed Fina's action. "I agree with Vyse. Leaving Ramirez here won't hurt him or anyone else, and the people here are nice. He'll get alone fine."  
  
"Leaving someone someplace where he has no friends or allies is...rather cruel, though, don't you think?" Enrique protested. "Especially since he has no way of leaving."  
  
"Well, he hasn't exactly tried to make himself feel welcome," Vyse pointed out with a sigh. "I've cut him a lot of slack, but he refuses to give me any respect in return. It's hard to run a ship with people like that on board. Personally, I've had enough of him."  
  
Enrique sighed. "Well, it is your decision as captain," he replied, though it was evident that the idea did not agree with him.  
  
Fina remained quiet, uncertain and saddened about the idea. She did not want to leave her old friend behind, but it was true that he was becoming a hindrance.  
  
They continued to talk among themselves as they walked up and out of the caverns of the volcano. After informing the ship parts dealer of their success, the young captain and his friends returned to the city of Yafutoma. The four stood before King Mikado and presented to him the Blue Crystal; there was some talk about the succession, in which Aika asked Moegi if she was to be the next ruler of Yafutoma and Moegi dodged the question. However, the topic was forgotten when Mikado declared that, in celebration of Vyse's amazing feat, they would have a feast in their honor. Ramirez was almost forgotten until Enrique pointed out that it was heartless to leave him on the ship _and_ deny him food. Vyse considered it and, deciding that since he was going to abandon Ramirez in Yafutoma, acceded to letting Aika and Fina retrieve the subversive Silvite and have him join them at dinner.  
  
Ramirez was surprisingly quiet and even-tempered the entire time, though, all considering; Fina wanted desperately to question him, but the memory of his anger when he'd revealed that he knew that she had spoken of him without his consent kept her tongue in check. Aika had no desire to speak to Ramirez at all, and the feeling was mutual, so their trip back to the Yafutoma palace was silent. Aika and Fina became more vocal when they met up again with Vyse, but Ramirez, who exchanged a brief glare with the Air Pirate, remained silent. Beyond the stare, though, Vyse paid Ramirez no more attention, and almost immediately returned to being his bright and enthusiastic self. Ramirez didn't care, or rather, he convinced himself he didn't care; during the feast, he just quietly watched Vyse and the others' easygoing and cheerful banter and antics as he ate.  
  
After the banquet, Princess Moegi led Vyse and the others to their sleeping quarters. The talk on the way was mostly about the deliciousness of the food and thanks for the hospitality, but when they arrived at the rooms, Aika brought up the matter of succession again.  
  
"How does it work, anyway?" she queried. "You never said when I asked earlier if you'd be next on the throne, after all."  
  
"Er, well..." Moegi stammered, a bit abashed. "Let's see..."  
  
From behind them, an unctuous and fruity voice laughed. "I will be the next King," the owner of the voice, the younger of the weasel-like men from the Yafutoman throne room, said triumphantly, "when Moegi and I are wed."  
  
"I will never marry you, Muraji!!" Moegi cried, glaring at him past the surprised members of Vyse's group. "And you will never be the King of Yafutoma!"  
  
"Oohohoho," Muraji laughed, bringing a hand up to his mouth. "And who will take the throne, then? Daigo is exiled from this land, after all, and I do believe that traitors cannot become King. Oohohohoho!"  
  
"Why, you little—" Vyse growled, moving forward, but Enrique stayed him with an outstretched arm and faced Muraji himself.  
  
"I do not know your motives," he said coolly, looking down at the advisor's son, "but that is _not how a nobleman treats a lady."  
  
Muraji shook. "You—you don't frighten me," he stammered. "When I become King, I'll see to it that all you westerners are thrown out of Yafutoma!!" And with that, he ran away.  
  
/_Looks like the dregs of humanity can be found anywhere,_/ Ramirez commented to himself, glowering after him. Glancing briefly at Vyse, he mused, /_I should follow him...make sure he doesn't cause any trouble and cause me any inconvenience. But Vyse won't let me go off on my own. I'll wait a moment longer._/  
  
"Prince Enrique, I'm sorry!" Moegi cried. "I'm so sorry that you felt you had to defend me like that..."  
  
Enrique smiled away the apology. "Think nothing of it," he told her. "Where I come from, there are codes on how a lady like yourself should be treated. Well," he added, "it's not used very much anymore, but..."  
  
"I'm sorry. Thank you," Moegi replied with a smile, bowing to him. "Thank you very much, Prince Enrique." She then walked past them and left for the palace.  
  
Enrique gazed after her. Ramirez regarded him curiously, and noted how Aika elbowed Vyse, looked at him pointedly, and then smirked at the Prince of Valua cattily, as if conveying a silent message. Vyse grinned, but it was an embarrassed one. Glancing back at Fina, Ramirez saw that she was staring wide-eyed at both of them, not understanding what was going on. The white-haired Admiral, on the other hand, understood perfectly. He shifted his glance to Enrique, still gazing after Moegi. It seemed the young Prince was attracted to her...  
  
/_Well, it's not my business,_/ the Admiral thought, turning his back to the scene and entering the rooms. Vyse caught the action and followed him in, motioning to Aika and Fina to follow. Fina did so, and Aika tapped Enrique on the shoulder, who jumped slightly at the touch and blushed at Aika's knowing grin. The two of them entered the rooms, and with the others, prepared for bed—although what they were sleeping on were paper mats...  
  
Ramirez waited for his unwanted companions to settle into bed before sneaking out. He hadn't bothered to change yet; there would be time for that eventually. For now, though, he stealthily made his way down the Yafutoman walkways to find Muraji.  
  
Shortly, Ramirez did find him, and was surprised to find him talking to none other than his colleague, Belleza, the fourth Admiral of the Valuan Armada.  
  
Well, perhaps he was not _so_ surprised; he knew that Galcian had planned to reach the lands of the East by heading west. Ramirez should have known, seeing as he had been the one to tell Galcian that the world was round. That was not to mention that Ramirez also knew that Galcian had intended to send Belleza and Vigoro to Yafutoma. However, she being where she was, and he being where he was now, made things so fortuitous that Ramirez had to be surprised, considering his recent run of bad luck.  
  
Belleza and Muraji were at the end of their discussion, and the two parted ways. Ramirez crept after Belleza; any mischief Muraji might manage would undoubtedly be mainly her doing, anyway.  
  
She didn't get far before Ramirez saw his chance, strode up to her, and grabbed her shoulder. He knew Belleza well enough to leap back when she spun around, and when she struck, it was only empty air. She still saw who had accosted her, though, and Ramirez forced himself not to smirk at the shock on her face.  
  
"Ramirez?" Belleza said in a low voice, straightening, a frown on her lips. Ramirez briefly admired her ability to recompose herself so quickly in such situations before she queried, "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Is that it? No 'hello', no 'how have you been doing'?" Ramirez inquired dryly.  
  
She chuckled. "Wherever you've been, it's given you a sarcastic sense of humor." She frowned again and regarded him. "But still, your disappearance has caused an uproar in Valua. Where did you go, and why did you leave your weapons behind?"  
  
Ramirez's eyes narrowed. "Vyse," he began, but Belleza raised a hand.  
  
"Say no more," she sighed. "I know how it is."  
  
Ramirez smiled thinly and without humor. "I've been his prisoner since then."  
  
"Hmm..." Belleza regarded Ramirez thoughtfully. "So Vyse defeated you, then? Pretty good, handsome..." she commented, mainly to herself.  
  
"He got lucky," Ramirez snapped.  
  
The cherry red-haired Admiral smirked lightly. "That kid is made of luck." Her smile increased. "But everyone's luck runs out sometime. For example, if he was still lucky, we wouldn't be meeting like this."  
  
Ramirez shrugged and allowed himself an inobtrusive smile. "This is true."  
  
"How did you escape, just now?"  
  
The silver-haired Admiral chuckled a bit. "He's gotten...complacent around me," he told her. "He thinks I can be befriended, even trusted."  
  
Belleza laughed at that. "Vyse, you might be good-looking, but you are such a fool," she murmured to herself. Speaking now to Ramirez, she continued, "So what am I to assume, Ramirez? Have you approached me to return to Valua with me after Yafutoma is conquered, or do you have something else in mind?"  
  
Ramirez raised an eyebrow. "Have you something characteristically devious in mind, Belleza?" he queried ironically.  
  
"You make your own decisions," she replied with a shrug.  
  
The pale Silvite smiled then, not without humor. "I think you'll appreciate what I have in mind, then," he said. "Vyse humiliated me. I want revenge. I have told him to his face that I'm going to kill him. He doesn't seem to want to believe that I'm serious. Fina and Prince Enrique seem to also think I'm harmless, for some reason; only that annoying redhead knows better."  
  
The crimson-haired lady Admiral chuckled. "Doesn't _that_ sound familiar."  
  
"So, I intend to use their falsely-placed trust against them," Ramirez continued. "I told them that I follow Lord Galcian only, but they ignored me... Whatever comes next will be their own fault."  
  
Belleza shook her head, smiling. "Speaking of Lord Galcian, he has been worried about you," she commented. _

Ramirez looked at her. "Oh?"  
  
"Not especially, though," she added. "He knows you can take care of yourself."  
  
Ramirez kept his expression neutral. "Will you take a message to Lord Galcian for me?"  
  
"Why not? We're helping each other out now."  
  
"Tell him that I have not betrayed him by staying with Vyse; rather, I intend to subvert that pirate's power, as I just told you. You know as well as I do that Vyse will probably get all the Crystals first. Therefore, I'll wait until he has done so—and then strike. I'll find some way to contact Lord Galcian on my own between now and then, to update him on the situation, but I want him to know that much first."  
  
She nodded. "I'll be sure to relay your message to Lord Galcian." Belleza paused. "What do you want done with your sword, Ramirez?"  
  
Ramirez considered the question, then replied, "I will retrieve it when Lord Galcian brings it to me."  
  
Belleza smirked at that. "You'll betray Vyse at his greatest moment of exaltation, using the sword that you left behind in Valua that will be returned to you by Lord Galcian himself...I love the symbolism. He'll hate you forever, you know—Vyse, I mean. There's no way a guy like him can ever forgive the type of betrayal you're planning."  
  
Ramirez laughed at that. "Why would I care?"  
  
"Just thought you might like to know," she replied, shrugging. "By the way, what do you intend to do if we succeed in conquering Yafutoma? We have already seized the Delphinus. There's not much he'll be able to do in that position."  
  
"I wouldn't underestimate him," Ramirez replied. "If it happens, then what I have planned will be rendered unnecessary, in which case I'll simply return to Valua with you. But if he succeeds in fending you off—and knowing him, I wouldn't be very surprised if he manages it—then I'll stay with him. I believe that my method will be more beneficial in the long run, since Lord Galcian won't have to spend precious time and resources hunting after the last three Crystals; we can just let Vyse do all the work."  
  
"Clever," Belleza smiled. "And devious. I like the way you think, Ramirez."  
  
"Hmm..." he murmured, not entirely sure he liked being complimented by the female Admiral. "Be warned, though; if I'm to gain Vyse's trust, I will have to make motions against you and Valua."  
  
Belleza shrugged. "Considering the benefits we will reap in the end? It's worth it. I will still try to conquer Yafutoma, though; I can't go against Lord Galcian's orders."  
  
The shorter Admiral nodded, understanding completely. "Good luck."  
  
"And you, too."  
  
"Will you be telling Vigoro of what we've discussed?"  
  
"That muscle-bound lunkhead? Vigoro is strong, but he can't act worth a damn. If he were in on this, he'd blow it all for sure. No," and Belleza shook her head, "the only ones who will know about this will be you and I and Lord Galcian. It's best that way."  
  
Ramirez nodded and glanced over his shoulder. "I should return before I'm missed," he said, turning away. With a slight smirk, he added, "See you tomorrow, Belleza..."  
  
Belleza laughed and turned away as well. "Hope to see you there, Ramirez."  
  
The two parted ways, heading to the opposite ends of the battle spectrum.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
**NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal Arcadia_ [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong.  
  
**Ayu:** Yeah, yeah, it was cheap, completely skipping the fight scene(s)...but we're lazy, and we wanted to get on with the plot stuff... I hope the readers will forgive us ^^; And from now on, we are flat-out skipping over or only briefly mentioning unimportant battles.  
**Ianthe:** Actually, we never did much with unimportant battles...  
**Ayu:** Quiet, you fool!! (*smacks her*)  
**Ianthe:** Ow...I'm abused...  
  
**Ayu:** Dammit, I hated writing for Mao and Jao. Damn their tag-team dialogue.  
  
**Ayu:** Yes, that wasn't how the fight went in the game. It's called "creative license".  
  
**Ianthe:** We didn't remember a lot of the specifics of what happened around this time—so just for this fic, we started a new game and played over four days—  
**Ayu:** I played for seven hours straight one day!  
**Ianthe:** —to get to the Yafutoma portion to refresh our memories. Don't you feel special?  
**Ayu:** And we _still_ don't remember a bunch of specific details ;_;  
  
**Ianthe:** GODDAMMIT, IT'S THE MAGATAMA, NOT THE MAGA SPHERE!! Just because you _can_ translate it directly doesn't mean that you _should_!! Besides, the Blue Crystal even _looks_ like a magatama!  
  
**Ayu:** In the fourth Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Karkaroff's voice is described as being 'unctuous' and 'fruity'. I thought that that was so hilarious for reasons I'm sure Rowling never intended that I had to use it myself here.  
  
**Ayu:** The title of this chapter is a line from the first ending theme of _Slayers TRY_, _don't be discouraged_. Full lyrics can be found at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!_, the link to which you can find below.  
  
**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com**  
Contact Ianthe of d.I: ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))  
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net))**


	7. Chapter 07: Kirai ni Naritai, Demo Kirai...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  
**Chapter 7:** Kirai ni Naritai, Demo Kirai ni Narenai  
(_I Want to Hate You, But I Can't Hate You_)

  
  
  
  
  


The light was warm.  
  
Vyse yawned and, sitting up from his tatami bed, stretched luxuriously. He had slept well, with many pleasant dreams, and as such was in a good mood. He glanced over at his companions, who all slept on the floor with him; they were all asleep too. Vyse frowned slightly upon seeing Ramirez, whose back faced him, but he shrugged.  
  
/_He'll be out of my hair soon enough,_/ he thought as he stood, scratching himself. With another yawn, Vyse collected his clothes and changed into them, then went to leave to wander around Yafutoma again before the others woke up.  
  
Stepping outside into the cool morning air, Vyse stretched. While he was not really looking forward to seeing Ramirez's reaction to being left behind, at least that would get rid of the troublesome youth. Staring absently into the clear water, he allowed himself to momentarily dwell on the recent events. What with all that had happened, things had gotten rather complicated...  
  
He was shaken out of his reverie by the sound of a loud engine moving overhead. The Yafutoman ships were particularly quiet when they sailed, so he looked up towards the source of the noise, and then he saw it: a Valuan warship. It wasn't the only one, either.  
  
"Oh, Moons—" he breathed before he ducked back inside and shut the sliding door behind him. /_What the hell is Valua doing here?!_/ he thought wildly. /_Dammit! And here I thought I could relax for a while!_/ He looked down at Fina, Aika, Enrique and Ramirez, all still sleeping. He really hated to wake them up, but there was no choice.  
  
He knelt down to the closest one, Aika, and shook her shoulder. "Aika," Vyse said urgently. "Wake up. We've got a problem."  
  
The redhead murmured and turned over, not waking up.  
  
"Aika!" Vyse snapped. "Wake up!!"  
  
"What's wrong?" Fina inquired quietly, yawning and getting up from her tatami mat.  
  
"Valua's here," he told her.  
  
She sat upright, her remaining somnolence gone. "Valua? How?" she questioned fearfully.  
  
"That's what I'd like to know," Vyse growled. "How'd they make it through the Dark Rift? It's impossi—no, wait, it _is_ possible, because they're here," he corrected himself. "Damn! We're going to have to get moving, _now_!"  
  
Fortunately, as he spoke, Aika and Enrique were already stirring. Ramirez, who apparently had not been as asleep as he had seemed, was simply sitting up on his tatami, regarding Vyse quietly.  
  
The Blue Rogue sent a glare the Silvite swordsman's way. "Did you have anything to do with this?" he asked, attempting to keep his voice calm.  
  
"What? How could I have anything to do with this? I have not been in touch with the Armada since you took me prisoner," Ramirez stated calmly, though with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"What's going on?" Aika murmured, rubbing her eyes.  
  
"Like I said, the Armada's here," Vyse told her, still looking mistrustfully at Ramirez.  
  
Aika and Enrique both sat up and stared at their captain. "The Armada's here? How?" the former asked.  
  
"Ask our resident Armada Admiral," Vyse remarked dryly, and three sets of eyes joined him in staring at Ramirez.  
  
The jade-eyed swordsman glared back at them all. "Of what, exactly, are you accusing me?"  
  
"We would like to hear an explanation before anyone starts accusing anyone of anything," Enrique said quietly. "I do not know why Valua is here. Do you?"  
  
Ramirez regarded them all for a few seconds before replying, "Isn't it obvious? Valua is here to conquer Yafutoma."  
  
Vyse stood, walked over to the shorter man, stopped in front of him, and glared down at him. He had only one word to say: "Explain."  
  
The young Admiral stared at the young captain for a moment before beginning. "As I said, Valua is here to conquer Yafutoma. The plan for this has been in the works for several lunar cycles. It really was only a matter of time until it was put into action."  
  
Vyse glared at him. "Why didn't you tell us?"  
  
"You didn't ask," Ramirez replied.  
  
The Air Pirate glared at him witheringly, then turned. "We should try to find out what's going on," he said, "Fina, you should stay here. I don't want them getting their hands on you again."  
  
"All right..." Fina replied, clasping a hand to her chest. The worry was clear on her face as she continued, "Vyse, please be careful..."  
  
Enrique and Aika had by then moved away on opposite ends of the room, out of sight, to change. Vyse smiled at Fina comfortingly and said, "Don't worry; we'll be all right. You just take care of yourself, all right?"  
  
Fina smiled a little and nodded.  
  
Ramirez, who was now standing, cleared his throat a bit, and Vyse turned to give him a withering glare.  
  
"What? You can't tell me you're jealous," the brunet captain said.  
  
He raised an eyebrow and did not answer Vyse's query.  
  
Vyse sighed. /_...He just has to be difficult...._/ A sudden thought occurred to him. /_...Hey. He could just go back with the Valuans, right? He'd probably prefer that to being stranded here. I should at least ask him if he'd like to leave with his comrades._/  
  
Clearing his throat, he addressed the silver-haired man. "Ramirez. Do you want to go and join the Valuans? I won't stop you if you want to leave now."  
  
Ramirez blinked and stared at the brown-eyed youth, amazed. Aika and Enrique, who had re-entered the room, watched the two, tensely waiting for his reply. But what could he say? His natural answer should be obvious, but Ramirez now needed to stay with Vyse to carry out his plans.  
  
/_It figures that Vyse would do this to me,_/ he thought, disgusted, though he didn't betray what he felt. /_He always does this to me...clouding my thoughts and confusing my emotions. Why can't he just let me hate him, like I'm supposed to?!_/  
  
"No," he said quietly.  
  
Vyse blinked. "No, what?"  
  
"No, I don't want to rejoin the Valuans," Ramirez clarified sullenly.  
  
The captain of the Delphinus stared in open disbelief. "You..._what_? Why?"  
  
He cast his eyes away. "If you must know, it's because I know who is spearheading the assault against Yafutoma," he muttered, "and I don't like either of them."  
  
Vyse continued to stare. /_Couldn't he just put up with them? I mean, he hates me, too, and...._/ Shaking these thoughts aside, he asked the Silvite male instead, "Who is leading the attack?"  
  
Keeping his expression neutral, Ramirez replied, "Admirals Belleza and Vigoro. They were the ones who were supposed to be sent, as per the plan, so unless things have changed in my...absence...they should be the ones you will be dealing with."  
  
Vyse gave Ramirez a funny look. "I thought you hated me."  
  
Ramirez waited for Vyse to make his point.  
  
"So why not just deal with Belleza and Vigoro until you go back to Valua?" the brunet eventually insisted. "I don't get it."  
  
Ramirez's face reddened. /_Damn you, why can't you just accept my excuse?!_/ he swore internally. He didn't dare say a word, though.  
  
Vyse regarded the blushing Admiral. /_...That's unusual..._/ he mused. /_.......Heh. I get it. He really does want to see the world with us. Maybe I was right. He does have something about him that is worth saving... Maybe...maybe I can help change him after all..._/ For the first time since arriving at Yafutoma, Vyse smiled at the green-eyed man.  
  
Feeling flustered, Ramirez glared at the pirate. "What are you smiling at?" he demanded.  
  
Vyse grinned and shook his head. "Nothing, nothing," he said with a small laugh. "So you want to stay with us?"  
  
Feeling the heat in his face and hating it, the pale swordsman nodded once.  
  
Enrique and Aika, who now stood nearby, exchanged glances. "Vyse," the former said, "we'd better go see what the Armada wants before it's too late."  
  
"Yeah, you're right," the captain of the Delphinus said, looking over at him. He glanced at Ramirez and asked, "Are you coming with us?"  
  
"I have no sword," the silver-haired youth replied flatly.  
  
Vyse sweatdropped. "Oh yeah..."  
  
"I'll stay here and wait for you," Ramirez continued.  
  
The Blue Rogue nodded and turned to the doors. "Aika, Enrique, let's go!" he called to his teammates, and with nods of assent from them both, the three left the rooms and ran to the docks.  
  
Ramirez leaned against the wall, despising the way that exchange had gone. /_Why? Why can't he just accept what I tell him? Why does he have to read into my actions? Why can't he just leave me alone?_/ He continued to brood as such, trying furiously to will away the redness in his face.  
  
Fina, still in her bed clothes, watched Ramirez silently. Again, she wanted to reach out to him, to talk to him, but she was afraid of what he might say. She stood there for several long minutes before she finally summoned the courage to address him.  
  
"...Ramirez?"  
  
He looked up at her sharply, his pale face still faintly flushed. "...What?"  
  
"Are you...are you all right?" she queried hesitantly.  
  
He looked at her intently for a moment, then glanced away once more. "I'm....fine, Fina," he said at length, not wanting to reveal to anyone the thoughts that plagued him.  
  
She bit her lower lip and looked away. After another tense moment of silence, she said, her voice quavering slightly, "....Are you sure?"  
  
He bit back the bitter reply that almost escaped his lips. Right now, what he had to do, despite any desire of his to do otherwise, was to get them to trust them, so he simply replied, "Yes."  
  
The teenage Silvite regarded him, still worried, but she relaxed anyway. She looked down at her feet and murmured, "I'm sorry...about talking about you, I mean... I didn't think it would hurt anyone..."  
  
"...What did you tell them, Fina?" he asked after a few brief moments of thought.  
  
She smiled in happy relief; he was taking it much better than she thought he would. Briefly, she summarized what she had told Enrique and Aika, adding that she hadn't told Vyse anything.  
  
"I'm sorry," she added once she was finished. "I'm truly sorry..."  
  
Ramirez shook his head. "Stop apologizing," he told her. "What's done is done."  
  
Her smile then was warm, the way it had been in the past. "Thank you," she beamed at him.  
  
He blinked rapidly, and turning away from her, he picked up his jacket and proceeded to pull it on. "There's nothing to thank me for, either," he said as he did so.  
  
She averted her gaze demurely. "But... I was afraid that you would...." She trailed off, unwilling to finish the sentence.  
  
"I would what? Hate you?" he inquired, turning to her.  
  
Fina did not meet his gaze.  
  
Well, he certainly wasn't happy with her, but _hate_ her? ...Perhaps... Ramirez found that ever since his bad experiences with Valuans, it was surprisingly easy to hate people... But whatever happened here, Fina would probably eventually report it back to Vyse or Aika, so it was in his best interest to treat her kindly.  
  
So, as he finished buttoning his jacket, he said in a mild tone, "Don't be stupid, Fina. I couldn't hate you."  
  
Again, she smiled up at him. "I'm so happy... I was so afraid. I've really missed you, you know. I really don't want...you to hate me."  
  
Ramirez was mildly surprised at that. Previous to this, he had been deliberately cold to her, trying to make her forget their previous friendship; if she hated him, that meant he wouldn't have to feel bad about killing her, if such a thing were to become necessary. He regarded her for a moment, then said, "Why don't you get dressed, Fina?"  
  
She blushed deeply and quickly gathered her clothes before ducking away behind a paper screen. Ramirez respectfully turned his back to it.  
  
"How was life without me?" he asked, raising his voice to make sure he was heard, as she made herself decent. "Did the Elders treat you well?"  
  
"...Yes," she said, removing her bed clothes. "But...that doesn't change the loneliness I felt. I only had Cupil... The Elders...didn't talk to me that much..." She pulled on her leggings, trying to hurry her dressing a bit.  
  
"Mm. What have you experienced here in Arcadia, Fina, since your descent?"  
  
"Well... I was attacked almost immediately...but...Vyse and everyone saved me. Even though they didn't know me..." She broke off temporarily to pull on her dress.  
  
Ramirez hoped she wouldn't go into a spiel about friendship. He really didn't want to hear about it—not from her, not about them. "And then?"  
  
"...Let's see... Then the Valuans came and captured all the pirates... I don't know if it was because they helped me or because they were pirates..." Her dress on, she then went about the task of putting on her various adornments.  
  
"It was because they attacked a Valuan flagship and got away with it," Ramirez told her. "And also because you were with them. And, to a lesser degree, because they were pirates."  
  
Pulling on her boots, she spoke again after a few moments of silence. "But...they're good people. I know that piracy is wrong...but, even though they committed such acts, they are still good..."  
  
"Lord Galcian does not allow anyone to make a fool of the Armada," Ramirez replied, his voice deceptively neutral. "'Good' and 'evil' don't matter. Only power matters."  
  
Fina did not respond to that, at first. Stepping out from behind the screen, she asked, quietly, "Do you really believe that?"  
  
"I would not say it if I did not believe it."  
  
"...What happened to you, on this planet?" 

Ramirez was at a loss of what to say. He did not want to share his painful memories with Fina, especially since he had a feeling that, even if he swore her to secrecy, she would end up telling one of her friends. However, saying so would probably hurt her, and that, too, would be reported to Vyse or Aika. Finally, he said in a distinctly cool tone, "I don't want to talk about it."  


"...All right..." She gazed sadly at the floor. "I think...something really bad must have happened to you...."  
  
/_Whatever gave you that impression?_/ Ramirez thought sarcastically. He did not speak, though.  
  
Fina gazed up again and straightened her veil a bit.   
  
"I'm glad, though...that I can talk to you again. Even if you've changed...you're still my old friend, Ramirez."  
  
He looked at her then, wordlessly. It was undeniably strange, that someone would still call him a friend... He bit back the urge to say that he had no friends, and turned to face her instead. He regarded her for a moment more before asking quietly, "How do you consider me a friend, even though we're on opposite sides?"  
  
Pain flashed then across Fina's face. She averted her eyes and said softly, "I...aren't you staying with Vyse?"  
  
Ramirez realized then his mistake. He had forgotten that, in _their_ world, if he were to choose to stay on the Delphinus, that was the same as becoming an ally. Saying that he was still on Lord Galcian's side as he just did could have ruined everything. Choosing his words carefully, he replied, "I am. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that I believe in Vyse's sincerity yet."  
  
"...Oh..." She gazed at the floor again. "But..." she continued, looking up to meet his eyes once more, "...I hope you can come to like him someday..."  
  
Ramirez shrugged. In an offhand manner, he queried, "How much do _you_ like him?"  
  
Her eyes widened slightly. "I....." she trailed off, blushing. She gazed up at him, embarrassed. "I..." Though she tried, she could not finish her sentence.  
  
Again, jealousy welled in Ramirez's heart, and he still knew not the reason why. "Are you in love with him?" he inquired, unable to keep a certain degree of coldness out of his voice.  
  
"...I...don't know..." she whispered, suddenly afraid again.  
  
"Hmph," Ramirez growled, turning away. He couldn't explain why any feelings Fina had towards Vyse would bother him; it was her life, wasn't it? Why would he care if she was attracted to him... Ramirez scowled, but it was meant for himself rather than Fina. He had been inexplicably attracted to Vyse as well... It meant nothing, of course, since he could stop those bizarre feelings anytime he pleased. The entire betrayal he planned was proof of that. Still, it annoyed and disgusted him that it had happened in the first place; any feelings of that sort were by nature wrong.  
  
But even thinking so, Ramirez still felt jealous.  
  
Fina gazed at him worriedly, wondering at the source of his obvious discomfort. She was about to say something to him when Vyse and the others returned.  
  
"Fina!!" Aika called, shoving the sliding doors open. When she saw her Silvite friend, she sighed a breath of relief and walked in, Vyse and Enrique behind her.  
  
"What's wrong?" Fina asked, staring nonplussed at her friends.  
  
"Nothing, nothing," Vyse said, waving a hand. "We were just a little worried about you. It's nothing."  
  
The pirate girl glanced at the male Silvite, then looked back at Fina again. "Hey, he didn't do anything weird while we were gone, did he?" she asked, not very quietly.  
  
Ramirez, obviously overhearing that, glared at the orange-haired pirate.  
  
"...Um, no..." Fina said, face reddening slightly. "We just talked..."  
  
"And what exactly do you mean by 'anything weird'?" Ramirez demanded icily.  
  
"Never you mind," Aika said to him, waving a hand impatiently. "Since it's pretty obvious now that you didn't do anything."  
  
The Admiral narrowed his eyes and looked away; as he did so, he noticed Vyse and Enrique watching him.  
  
/_For...what do they want?_/ he grumbled internally.  
  
"What's going on with the Valuans?" Fina asked, looking over at Vyse. "What are they doing now?"  
  
"They're having an audience with King Mikado," Vyse told her, frowning. "And they seized the Delphinus. We're totally outnumbered...nothing we can do for right now. So we're just going to wait for whatever's going to happen to happen."  
  
"They seized the Delphinus?" Ramirez asked with not entirely feigned interest. Belleza had told him that yesterday, but as a rule, he didn't trust her more than he had to. Her specialty _was_ deception, after all.  
  
"Yeah," Vyse said with a sigh. "We're just gonna have to wait for them to make the next move."  
  
/_I hate not having a plan like this.... I have no idea what we can do if they do take over Yafutoma.. We might all be arrested again. Ah, well... It does no use to think negatively. I'm sure somehow, things will work out all right,_/ Vyse mused to himself, the room growing silent.  
  
"Hmm," Ramirez murmured, kneeling down on his tatami. "Is that your best plan?"  
  
"What's wrong with waiting?" Vyse asked, sitting. "Besides, better options might show up later. For right now, we've got our hands tied."  
  
Ramirez regarded Vyse with an odd expression on his face, then looked down at his knees, saying nothing.  
  
Aika leaned against one of the walls as Enrique and Fina stood. "Well, what brilliant ideas do you have, Mr. Master Strategist?" Aika questioned dryly.  
  
Ramirez remained silent for a moment. "...I...suppose...waiting is the best option at this time," he said begrudgingly, to which Aika smirked, triumphant. A warning glance from Enrique kept her from making a smug comment, though, and for the next half-hour, they waited in silence.  
  
The sound of shoes tapping against wood alerted them to someone running up to the room outside just before the sliding door was opened by Moegi, who had a look of dire distress on her face.  
  
"What's wrong, Moegi?" Aika cried, alarmed at the look on the Yafutoman Princess's face.  
"You must all flee!" she cried, quickly entering and shutting the door behind her. "Something terrible has happened! The Valuans...they've—"  
  
"Negotiations didn't go their way, so they took over forcibly?" Ramirez guessed, rising to his feet.  
  
Moegi looked at Ramirez, surprised. "How did you know?"  
  
He shrugged. "Their general tactics are easy to predict: 'If you won't give it to me, I'll take it from you.' As long as they get what they want in the end, they don't care about the means."  
  
"Aren't you insulting Galcian by saying that?" Aika wondered, crossing her arms.  
  
Ramirez glanced at her contemptuously but did not reply.  
  
Moegi frowned and nodded once. "They'll be here soon to take custody of you all," she said. "Vyse, everyone, you must escape at once!"  
  
Vyse nodded grimly. "We can't hope to fight them like this. Escaping is the best course of action."  
  
Aika threw down her hands, exasperated. "Vyse, how are we gonna escape? They've got the Delphinus!"   
  
"I have a solution for that," Moegi interrupted, turning to the back of the rooms. "There is a boat that will take us above the clouds. Please, follow me." She then opened a hidden sliding door and beckoned to the others. Not needing to be told twice, Vyse and everyone exited through the doors, with Moegi last, carefully shutting the doors behind her.  
  
Hurrying down the passage, the group boarded the small ship that had been hidden back there. Moegi launched the ship, and they began to soar to somewhere high above the clouds, well out of the Valuans' reach.  
  
After a while, Aika turned to Vyse and asked, "Now what? We've escaped for now, but..." The boisterous piratess trailed off, gazing down at the clouds from the side of the ship.  
  
"...Well..." Moegi began hesitantly, "I think my brother can help us..."  
  
"Huh? You have a brother?" Aika asked, turning to her.  
  
"Yes...he disobeyed a direct order from my father," she murmured, looking down at her feet. "As such, he was exiled to the shrine at the top of this island. I have not seen him in years, but..."  
  
"It's the best bet we've got," Vyse said when the Princess trailed off. "Let's go!"  
  
  
  
Moegi's strange boat soared straight upwards, heading up to a place where the Armada's ships would never be able to reach. Ramirez knew that this was the decisive moment; he had to pretend to extend his hand first, since Vyse was far too angry with him to do so. Still, the thought of having to submit to him disgusted him, so it was only after Aika and the others finished a conversation with Moegi about her brother Daigo and how he had been exiled to their destination that he finally worked up the nerve to step up to his hated adversary.  
  
"Vyse," Ramirez said clearly. "Can I talk to you?"  
  
The brunet rogue turned to face him, a questioning look on his face, encouraging him to continue. "Yeah?"   
  
Ramirez looked away briefly. Vyse wasn't as angry as he thought he would be... Somehow, it made this more difficult. "You're going to be fighting a fleet of the Armada's ships," he said, keeping his voice and expression emotionless. "And you don't have the benefit of the Delphinus' power to help you."  
  
Vyse looked back over the edge of the boat. "Yeah, I know. What are you getting at?" he asked.  
  
Ramirez eye's flickered momentarily, the only betrayal of his true feelings. "It's simply that I suddenly realized that deciding to stay with you could be construed as an act of treason," he replied. "Therefore it would be in my best interest to stay out of sight. As for yourself, since you lack your ship, you are at an extreme disadvantage. My proposal is simple: if you help me stay unseen, I will help you fight. In short, I am calling a truce."  
  
"Yeah?" Vyse said, straightening, and turned to face the shorter man full on. "Well, I'm willing to accept that," he replied, trying to restrain a slight smile. /_I guess I really did misjudge him..._/ he thought to himself idly. "You don't have a weapon, though," he continued.  
  
Ramirez frowned slightly. "That isn't my fault," he replied, slightly terse. "In any case, it's possible that Princess Moegi's brother can remedy that. This is a contingency that currently can't be helped, so it's better to see what happens first."  
  
Vyse nodded, and turned back to get a good look at what was below them.  
  
Yafutoma could be blocked out by his two hands now; he could see a number of Armada warships, but they were far below them, and even if any of them noticed their boat now, there probably wasn't anything the Armada could do. He hated the fact that he did not have a plan, but there wasn't a choice. He just prayed that things would turn out all right.  
  
  
  
Arriving at the island Moegi had spoken of, they soon found that they had to fight their way in. Strange pirates were all over the place, and it was a long and difficult battle to the temple at the top. Upon entering the courtyard area of the temple, they were greeted by two familiar faces.  
  
"You dare..." called Jao from the roof, and Mao entered, "show your faces here, westerners?!" The two leapt down to the paneled ground, and moving into battle poses, Jao called, "It is time..." Mao ended, "...for you to die!!"  
  
"HEY!!" a voice from inside the temple roared before Vyse and the others could even begin to bring their weapons to bear. "Hold it, you two!!"  
  
Jao and Mao halted then and quickly parted to the sides as a tall, impressive figure stepped out from the temple.  
  
"Now you face..." Mao said grimly. "...Our leader," Jao finished, glaring at Vyse and the others as a tall, muscular figure stepped out of .  
  
"Daigo!" Moegi cried out, recognizing the man who had just appeared.  
  
"Moegi?" the aforementioned man said in astonishment. "What are you doing here? Has Father changed his mind?"  
  
"Whoa, this guy's your brother?" Aika cut in, staring at Moegi and then Daigo. "What's he doing leading a bunch of pirates?"  
  
"_You're_ pirates," Ramirez noted.  
  
"No one asked you!" she hissed. "And that's beside the point, anyway!"  
  
Moegi's face fell, and she averted her gaze. "Father has...Yafutoma is..."  
  
Daigo sat then. "Tell me the story from the beginning," he ordered.  
  
So the Princess did—about the ambitions of Muraji and Kangan, about their betrayal, about Valua coming to conquer Yafutoma, and how her current companions were fighting to stop Valua. At the end, Daigo nodded seriously.  
  
"I will help you," he said decisively. "Though I embraced freedom during my time as a pirate, I cannot ignore my country in its time of dire need. It is my duty as the prince of Yafutoma, regardless of being exiled!"  
  
Vyse smiled in relief. "Thanks, Daigo," he said. "I'm sure you'll be a great help!"  
  
The prodigal Prince grinned in reply, and added, "If you need any supplies, you can just take what you need of ours. There's no sense in jumping in unprepared, right?"  
  
"Great! Actually..." Vyse then turned to Ramirez, who quietly stood in the back. "He needs a sword...he lost his a while ago. Can you help us out?"  
  
Daigo stood and, turning back to the shrine, motioned for them to follow. "Come in and pick out whatever suits your fancy."  
  
Ramirez glanced briefly at Vyse before the two of them followed Daigo inside. The structure looked antique, even ancient, and the walls were covered so thickly with swords of all shapes and sizes that even an inch of wood could not be seen beneath them.  
  
"If there's a sword you prefer, you're sure to find it in here," Daigo told the two with some amusement in his voice. "Jao and Mao won't be particularly pleased that I'm doing this, but it's just one sword, and it's for a greater cause anyway. They'll get over it."  
  
Ramirez eyed the wall of swords, studying them carefully. Finally, he selected a katana with its handle wrapped with red and black and its scabbard lacquered in the same colors, and then drew the blade. He first checked the balance of it, and was pleased to find that it left nothing to be desired. The weight and length were reasonably appropriate as well. Ramirez then held up the katana and inspected its edge.  
  
"Yafutoman blades are unparalleled in excellence and sharpness," Daigo commented then, having noted his actions. "A fly can't walk the edge without cuttings its feet."  
  
Ramirez glanced back at Vyse with a ghost of a smirk on his lips. "Is that so," he said quietly. Satisfied with his choice, he replaced the sword in its scabbard and attached it to its accompanying sword belt, which he then tied around his waist.  
  
Vyse just gave him a look and made a mental note to talk to him later. /_I swear, he's going out of his way to make me uncomfortable,_/ he thought as he and the other two men left the building. /_Sheesh, and he just called a truce, too... Can't he make up his mind?_/  
  
The group reassembled and, checking their weapons, armor and items, made their way to the bottom of the stone bridges that lead up to the temple to the house-boat in which they had arrived. Vyse hesitated, realizing then that the tiny boat would be utterly useless in a battle. Daigo just threw his head back in a hearty laugh when he commented on it, though.  
  
"You should come with me," he said, gesturing towards his own ship. It, like all the other ships they had seen in Yafutoma, was made of paper, and brightly colored.  
  
"You sure about that?" Vyse asked, slightly surprised.  
  
"Of course! You need to be on the battlefield to find your Delphinus, after all!" Daigo replied.  
  
The young rogue grinned. "Good point. Thanks!"  
  
The group boarded Daigo's ship, and with a grand motion, it and a fleet of the Tenkou's brightly colored ships soared into the air.  
  
The pirates engaged the Valuan fleet, but neither side could gain the upper hand. While the Tenkou ships were more maneuverable, the Valuans had better weaponry. The battle went on for several hours before Daigo, sensing the futility, was about to order the ships to withdraw.  
  
"Lord Daigo!" one of the Tenkou pirates called to him then, quickly walking up. "Just now, a ship matching the description of the Delphinus has been spotted!"  
  
"It has?" Vyse asked immediately. "If it is the Delphinus, we can take it back and win this war ourselves!"  
  
"Well," Daigo said, looking down at the young captain, "We can try to get up close to it. But... are you sure about this?"  
  
Vyse grinned in reply. "Don't worry about it, Daigo! We're gonna take back the Delphinus, Air Pirate style!"  
  
Daigo grinned back. "Of course, my friend. I'd almost forgotten about your undying spirit! All hands! Bring us to boarding distance of the Delphinus!"  
  
At the Yafutoman Prince's command, the Yin Yang pulled close to a ship that could only be the Delphinus. Pulling a worried Fina close, Vyse reassured her she wouldn't fall, and prepared to jump.  
  
"You hanging on tight?" Vyse grinned at Fina, his arm around her waist.  
  
"Er...yes," she replied, blushing faintly. Watching them from the corner of his eye, Ramirez scowled, his new Yafutoman sword clutched in his right hand.  
  
"Then let's go!" And with that, he leapt from the Yin Yang to the deck of the Delphinus.  
  
"Our turn now!" Aika said cheerfully. "You go on ahead, Enrique!"  
  
"What? AAAAAUGGGH!" Enrique screamed as she pushed him over the side and then jumped herself.  
  
Ramirez launched himself from the Yafutoman ship and landed with ease with the others, bringing his sword to bear as he did so; Yafutoman and Valuan soldiers had already surrounded them. He smiled darkly, for he was glad for the chance for battle. It would allow him to vent his frustration and jealousy.  
  
"Admiral Ramirez!" one of the Valuan soldiers said, startled, upon recognizing the last of the boarders. "What are you doing here, with these pirates?!"  
  
The Silvite let his sword answer for him.  
  
"Admiral Ramirez!! What are you doing?!" another Valuan soldier cried, the first one having already been silenced. The other soldiers hesitated to go into battle mode, the appearance of the sixth Admiral having confused them, and the Yafutoman fighters, confused by the others' indecision, also faltered; that was their fatal error.  
  
Vyse sighed inwardly, and launched himself into the fray. He didn't like killing people, but there was too much at stake here. They needed to have control of the entire ship, and for that, they couldn't have any enemy soldiers running around, armed or not. Dispatching one of the guards, he turned to make sure that Fina and the others were all right.  
  
Enrique had gotten to his feet, and was fighting a Valuan soldier who was obviously not fighting at his full capacity, probably due to reservations and confusion over fighting the Prince of Valua. Aika and Fina were both fighting a Yafutoman soldier who seemed to be a match for both of them, but they seemed to be able to handle themselves regardless.  
  
Vyse rushed and engaged another Yafutoman soldier, before that soldier could get any ideas about helping his comrade. Blocking a strike from the soldier's polearm, he swerved slightly and moved forward, slicing with his secondary blade deep into the side of the upper right chest. With a scream and a flash of blood, the Yafutoman soldier stumbled—in the wrong direction. Vyse's cutlass dug deeper into his body, cutting almost to his spinal cord, and when the rogue pulled his blade out, the soldier fell back in a sea of red.  
  
Quickly scanning the battlefield, he saw another Yafutoman soldier, this one threatening to put Enrique in a tight spot. Vyse ran up to assist his friend, and between the two of them, the Yafutoman soldier didn't stand a chance.  
  
Once that soldier was on the deck, Vyse once again surveyed the battlefield and found that all the opposing warriors were dead or unconscious, the girls having had been more merciful to their opponents than the boys had been. Signaling them to follow, he opened the door to the interior of the Delphinus and hurried in the direction of the control room.  
  
There were small skirmishes with Valuan and Yafutoman soldiers on the way, but Vyse's group easily dispatched them all with little collateral damage. When the group arrived at the control room, they found Muraji and a host of Yafutoman soldiers waiting for them.  
  
Muraji looked positively shocked to see them there. Gathering up what little courage he had, he ordered his soldiers to attack the 'invading' group, but they were easily defeated.  
  
"Please don't kill me!!" Muraji blubbered, on the floor, as Enrique held the point of his rapier before him.  
  
"As much as I would like to run you through, it would be dishonorable to kill a defenseless man," Enrique replied coolly, drawing back his sword and sheathing it. "You are now our prisoner."  
  
"Yes, yes," the weasel-man babbled, nodding his head rapidly. "Thank you, you are much too generous..."  
  
Ramirez frowned slightly, watching the scene. Enrique _was_ too generous. He would have to do something to ensure that Muraji wouldn't cause trouble at an extremely inconvenient moment...  
  
Stepping up to the cowering man, he glared down at him and drew his sword. Holding the blade close to Muraji's neck, he spoke in a tone that promised death, "Prince Enrique may be merciful, but I am not. Misbehave and I will separate your head from your body." With that, he pulled the blade away and returned it to its sheath, his entire demeanor calm but serious.  
  
Muraji degenerated into a quivering mass.  
  
Vyse pulled Ramirez aside. "Two things," he said in a low voice. "One, thinly veiled death threats are not good for truces, and I'm referring to when you first got that sword. Second, what you did just now was totally out of line."  
  
"I was simply ensuring that he knew his place, and if he stepped out of it, his life would be forfeit," Ramirez murmured in reply. "Prince Enrique isn't threatening enough do so properly. As for the other thing, I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
Vyse rolled his eyes. "Well, whatever," he muttered. "I'll talk to you about it later." He turned away and took up the Delphinus' wheel in his hands. "All right, everyone, we've got some battles to fight! Let's go!" he cried, steering the ship into the fray. 

The first ship that they encountered was a big, thick one, with a huge cannon equipped. Ramirez and Enrique recognized it immediately, and the former was slightly amused when Aika commented, "What ship is _that_? For some reason, it gives me the creeps..."  
  
Enrique informed her, "That's Vigoro's ship, the Draco."  
  
"GAH! No wonder it's so gross!" Aika exclaimed, disgusted, holding her arms as her face turned red. "Talk about overcompensation!"  
  
They engaged the Draco, and battle ensued. Despite Vigoro's jeering over communications, and that the Draco did have an extremely powerful cannon, in the end neither of them were a match for Vyse and the Delphinus. Smoking and in shock, Vigoro and his Draco began to retreat when the Lynx, Belleza's flagship, appeared. The two ships were about to engage in battle, when a brilliant blue light blazed forth from Mt. Kazai.  
  
"Please don't tell me..." Vyse groaned, looking in its direction, "that some idiot awakened the Gigas?!"  
  
The mountain broke apart and a gigantic blue draconic bird soared into the sky, telling him that some idiot had awakened the Blue Gigas. With a shrill cry, the Gigas spread its wings, and a great blast of wind crashed through half the Valuan fleet.  
  
"Bluheim..." Fina whispered, feeling paralyzed. "It's awake..."  
  
Ramirez frowned, slightly disconcerted. The Delphinus' Moon Stone Cannon was developed based on information gathered from the Red and Green Gigases, and was supposedly as powerful as a Gigas' main weapon, but... There was a distinct difference in supposedly having that power and actually having that power. If the Moon Stone Cannon wasn't strong enough to take down a Gigas, they would be dead before long.  
  
Meanwhile, the rest of the Valuan fleet decided that discretion was the better part of valor and retreated. Enrique watched them go, feeling slightly relieved. There was no way normal ships could stand up to a Gigas; if they stayed, they'd only be destroyed. He felt grateful to Belleza, whom he was sure had given the order to retreat.  
  
Turning to the captain of his ship, he asked, "Vyse, what's our next move?"  
  
"You have to ask? We take Bluheim out!" Vyse replied with a cocky grin. "The Moon Stone Cannon is supposed to be as strong as a Gigas, right? Besides, if we don't beat Bluheim, who will?! Let's go!"  
  
Fina stepped up to Vyse, and said, "Bluheim gets its strength from the Blue Moon, so it has accelerated speed and can use the wind as a weapon... If you hold your ground, you should be able to keep from getting blown away."   
  
Vyse nodded, taking note of her advice, and engaged the blue beast.  
  
The battle was long and strenuous—Bluheim knocked the Delphinus completely off-course more than once, and due to its speed, it attacked almost constantly with devastating attacks. Only Fina and Aika's constant healing, along with the Delphinus' high constitution and top-class armor, kept the Delphinus from getting wiped out completely.  
  
Finally, with one last blast of the Moon Stone Cannon, the Blue Gigas Bluheim flopped down on the side of Mt. Kazai, apparently dead.  
  
"Vyse, we did it! We beat a Gigas!" Aika exclaimed excitedly.  
  
"Yeah, and it looks like Daigo's ships have taken care of business, too," Vyse grinned back. In the distance, the Yin Yang had cornered a small, weasel-like man holding a brilliantly shining Blue Crystal.  
  
Ramirez hated to admit it, but he was impressed. To defeat not only an Admiral, but a Gigas almost immediately after that... Vyse would probably want to talk to him later about it, too, and there was no way he could get away with dismissing the rogue's accomplishments. Besides...he had managed to pull himself out of a tough situation—he had lost his ship!—and managed to come out the hero yet again. Luck like that just shouldn't be possible... Ramirez shook his head. He truly hated to admit it, but he...admired Vyse. Ignoring the sound of his heart, Ramirez told himself that he _only_ admired Vyse.  
  
Still grinning, Vyse continued, "Let's go back to Yafutoma, and make sure the King's okay." With that, the Delphinus, although it was fairly battered from the battle, headed for the island country. Once they returned, the royal family greeted them enthusiastically and gratefully.  
  
"Thanks to you, we have our country back, and what's more, I have my son back," Mikado said, evidently quite pleased with how things turned out. "As a token of our gratitude," he continued, "I would like you to have the Magatama. You did say you needed it, correct?"  
  
Aika stared at him. "Didn't you say you needed it to determine the successor to the throne?"  
  
The aged monarch shook his head. "We don't need such a thing anymore. Daigo has proved himself most worthy, so his return is far better for the fate of the country than any Crystal would be."  
  
"Yeah!!" Aika cheered. "Vyse, Fina, we got the Blue Crystal! Only three left to go!"  
  
Her two companions shared her enthusiasm, and Vyse bowed slightly to Mikado. "Thank you very much, Your Highness," he said politely.  
  
"No, no, it is I who must be thanking you, Vyse," the king of Yafutoma replied, smiling. "It was you who saved our land and brought back our rightful heir, after all."  
  
Moegi, after a pensive silence, stepped forward suddenly, and said, "Father... I have a request. I want to go with them. We cannot remain ignorant of the world around us anymore; this invasion has shown us this much."  
  
All eyes turned to Moegi.  
  
"Moegi..." her father articulated, surprised.  
  
"You and my brother shall fulfill your duties to Yafutoma by staying here," Moegi stated quietly. "I shall fulfill my duties to Yafutoma by traveling with these people."  
  
Mikado regarded her for a few moments, then nodded slowly. "Very well," he said sagely. "Make your country proud, Moegi."  
  
The Yafutoman princess smiled warmly at her father, and walked over to Enrique, prompting several knowing looks from his companions.  
  
"Prince Enrique," Daigo said then. With a smirk-like grin, he continued, "Please take good care of my sister..."  
  
Moegi and Enrique turned bright red as everyone else but Ramirez laughed.  
  
Recomposing himself, Enrique replied earnestly, "You have my word as one prince to another."  
  
Daigo smiled warmly and nodded. "That is good to hear. I knew you were a good man for her."  
  
"Yeah, Enrique'll 'take care' of Moegi in all sorts of ways, won't you?" Aika added, elbowing the Valuan Prince.  
  
Enrique blushed furiously. "Hey, stop that!" he cried, embarrassed.  
  
Aika laughed. "Just kidding!" she grinned. "Don't take it so seriously, Enrique!"  
  
"Oh yes," said Daigo, after they calmed down, "I would like to give you an additional gift. I noticed your ship can't travel high or low like ours can, so I'm giving you this scroll with the information necessary to build an engine that can." With that, he walked up to Vyse and handed him a scroll with the afore-said information on it.   
  
Vyse opened the scroll and surveyed it. "Wow..." he breathed, an enthusiastic light shining in his eyes. "Amazing! Thanks, Daigo!"  
  
The Yafutoman prince nodded, and smiled. "It's the least I could do."  
  
The captain of the Delphinus grinned excitedly and nodded to Daigo. "Thanks again!" He bowed to the Prince and his father. "And thank you for the Blue Crystal, too!"  
  
Mikado smiled and nodded his respect to the young pirate. Vyse and company left shortly after, Fina glowing with happiness as she carried the Blue Moon Crystal in her arms, and Vyse walking with a certain perk in his step as he carried the Book of Polarity.  
  
"When we get home and Brabham makes that engine for us, there won't be anywhere in the world we can't go, will there?" Aika commented, grinning.  
  
"Nope!" the young pirate grinned back.  
  
"Can't wait!" Aika cheered, stretching.  
  
Suddenly remembering, Vyse turned to Ramirez, still smiling. Ramirez regarded him with a guarded frown, not knowing what to expect.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Ramirez blinked. Of all the possible scenarios he had envisioned, Vyse thanking him was towards the bottom. "For what?"  
  
The brown-eyed rogue grinned. "What else? For your help and cooperation."  
  
The male Silvite stared at the other man, not sure how to respond. After a minute, he gave up and looked away.  
  
"Another thing, Ramirez," Vyse added. The silver-haired swordsman glanced at him. With a little smile and a little shrug, the brunet rogue continued, "That last battle...what's your opinion?"  
  
Ramirez blinked. "You mean against Bluheim?"  
  
"Yeah. Thanks for your help with that one, too."  
  
Without speaking, the strategic genius looked away, considered the question, and then looked back, allowing his expression to be more peaceable than usual.  
  
"Well done."  
  
He didn't say any more, but he didn't have to.  
  
Vyse blinked at him, surprised at the lack of a sarcastic comment, but then smiled. "Well, we should board the Delphinus, and get going, okay?" he said, as he turned, and headed for the carrier boat that was docked in the harbor.  
  
His companions all nodded, and the five of them returned to their battered but victorious ship. Various Yafutoman mechanics had been on board, by order of the King, so the bodies were cleared out, and they were currently at work on fixing the damage. Giving their thanks as they passed, Vyse and company returned to the control room to discuss their next move.  
  
"So, now what, Captain?" Aika grinned at Vyse as they situated themselves around a table, a map and the Blue Crystal between them.   
  
"We heard home, of course!" the male Air Pirate smiled back.  
  
"Yeah! We have to tell everyone back home what we've found!" Aika cheered. "How are we gonna get back, though? The Dark Rift was hell to navigate before, and it's not gonna be any better this time..."  
  
"You don't have to navigate the Dark Rift," Ramirez said quietly. All eyes were on him as he continued, "Just sail east from here."  
  
Aika stared at him, surprised. "Huh? But...wouldn't we fall off the edge of the world?" she asked, utterly confused.  
  
Ramirez stared back at her for a few seconds...then began to laugh.  
  
"Hey, what's so funny?!" Aika demanded, irked.  
  
Shaking his head, Ramirez replied, "Nothing, really...just that you were serious." Recomposing himself, he continued, "No, we won't fall off the edge of the world, because there is no such thing. The world is round."  
  
Aika glared at him and demanded, "How do you know that?"  
  
"I spent my entire childhood looking down on Arcadia," Ramirez replied, his tone slightly amused. "Trust me, it's round. You tell them too, Fina."  
  
"Eh?" Fina looked surprised at being addressed so suddenly. She didn't look thrilled at being put upon, either. "Well..." She paused, uncertain, then continued, softly. "Um...well...yes."  
  
Despite all this, Vyse didn't look too surprised. "Aika, didn't Belleza say something about coming here from the west?" he asked his childhood friend.  
  
"Hmm..." The red-haired piratess looked thoughtful. "Now that you mention it... Then again, you can't always be sure what she says is the truth, right?"  
  
"A valid point, but this time she's telling the truth," Ramirez stated.  
  
"There are ancient texts in the Valuan library that also state that the world is round," Enrique added. "And some scholars perpetuate this as well. However, nobody has been able to prove it, and those who claim that the world isn't flat usually get prosecuted..."  
  
"Well, this is a great opportunity to prove that the world is round once and for all, isn't it?" Vyse grinned.  
  
"Yeah!" Aika cheered. "In any case, it's better than the Dark Rift again," she added.  
  
"Great! So now that that's decided, let's move out!" Vyse declared, holding up a fist.  
  
"Aye-aye, captain!" most of his crew responded, and they went to their respective stations to sail east to return to Crescent Isle.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
**NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal Arcadia_ [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong.  
  
**Ianthe:** If this chapter sucked, it's my fault.  
**Ayu:** ^_^; How is it your fault?  
**Ianthe:** ...Because I don't got teh mad skillz?  
**Ayu:** We've been doing fine before now... Anyway, we finished chapter eight before we finished this...that's how much we didn't want to write this chapter. I think it might show...  
  
**Ayu:** The title of this chapter is a line from _Kirai ni Narenai_ (_I Can't Hate You_), the second opening theme from _Magic Knight Rayearth_. The full line is "Kirai ni naritai demo kirai ni narenai itsumo kokoro ha yurete iru", which means "I want to hate you, but I can't hate you; my heart is always wavering". I think that this is an amazingly appropriate line for Ramirez. Full lyrics can be found at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!, the link to which you can find below.  
  
**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com**  
Contact Ianthe of d.I: ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))  
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net))**_


	8. Chapter 08: Ikiru Koto ha Itami wo Shiru...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  
**Chapter 8:** Ikiru Koto ha Itami wo Shiru Koto  
(_To Live is to Know Pain_)

  
  
  
  
  


The sun was a few hours past its zenith when Vyse brought the Delphinus into the dock of Sailor's Island, and with great zest, he and his companions and crew members left the great ship, chattering amongst themselves, most of them grateful for the brief but necessary respite; they were running low on both fuel and food, and needed to restock. The only one quiet was, as usual and as to be expected, Ramirez. A few other boats had docked at the same time as them, and to their immediate right was a small ship with an equally small crew carrying off a rather unusual cargo. The group, upon reaching the end of the dock, watched them curiously; the crew, consisting of five young people, was unloading musical instruments. One woman in particular, a lovely young lady with long blonde hair, was pulling with some difficulty a baby piano across the wooden dock. 

"That piano looks heavy..." Fina observed. "Why don't any of her companions help her?" 

"They have things they're unloading, too," Aika noted. "It's kind of mean to leave it to her, though. She doesn't look like she should be lugging around something that big at all. She might hurt herself." Thoughtfully, she added, "Say, we don't have anything to carry off; we could always offer to help. What d'you say, Vyse?" 

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Vyse replied, taking a step forward. 

At that moment, the young lady slipped, and with a startled cry, began to fall, the piano beginning to slide over her. 

Vyse, his reflexes taking over, ran, leapt forward and caught the woman in one arm and the lurching piano in the other. It caused him a considerable amount of pain, but as he managed to swallow that down, the move looked very cool to everyone watching. 

"Wow, nice save!" Aika said, impressed. "Figures he'd go through that trouble for a pretty girl, though..." 

"It wouldn't be very nice to let a man fall, either," Fina commented. 

"Yeah, but in a guy's head, there's a big difference between another guy and a cute girl," Aika replied with a smirk. 

Fina blinked, looking nonplussed. "Really?" 

Ramirez, though listening to the exchange, said nothing and betrayed no facial expression. However, internally, he growled, /_It would figure, for him to chase after a girl in trouble... He has no shame._/ 

"You okay? Nothing hurt?" Vyse was saying to the young woman. 

"Yes, I'm all right; thank you," she replied, sitting up and brushing strands of hair out of her face. She looked up at him with eyes the gray of a rain cloud. 

Pulling the woman to her feet, he commented on the near save. "That was pretty close, huh?" 

She nodded, and as if in reply, she said, "Thank you. I really don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there." 

The young pirate scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "No, it's okay..." 

She smiled, seemingly amused by his actions. "May I ask who you are? My name is Arianne." 

Vyse grinned a little. "Arianne, huh? That's a pretty name." 

She smiled back brightly. "Thank you. It's kind of you to say so." She glanced over his shoulder at Enrique and the others, who were now approaching. "Are these your companions?" 

"Oh, yeah," Vyse said, turning to them. "These are—" 

Before he could continue, though, one of Arianne's crewmates, a young woman with short brown hair, ran up to her. "Arianne! I heard you cry out, but I was so far away. Are you all right?" 

Arianne smiled at her, and replied, "Yes, thanks to this man," indicating the brunet captain. 

The young woman smiled in return. "I'm glad... If you're okay, I'll finish unloading. See you inside, Arianne!" With that, she turned, and hurried aboard the small boat again. 

Arianne smiled after her crewmate and turned her gaze to Enrique, Aika, Fina and Ramirez. "It's nice to meet you all," she said to them. She nodded to Enrique, and continued, "Especially you, Prince Enrique." She looked at Vyse then. "You would be the infamous Air Pirate Vyse, wouldn't you?" 

Vyse stared for a moment at her, then recomposed himself. "Yeah, that's me," he replied, inwardly debating whether to ask how she knew. Shrugging it off, he instead asked, "How do you know Enrique?" 

"That's easy. I'm from Valua," she smiled. 

"You're...Miss Arianne, then? The musician?" Enrique asked then. He smiled at her and inclined his head politely. "I've heard some of your music. You seem quite talented." 

Arianne blushed and smiled appreciatively. "It's an honor to hear that from you, Your Majesty." 

The young prince's face flushed slightly. "Please, don't bother with such formalities when we're so far from Valua and all its politics. Just call me Enrique." 

As Vyse watched this exchange, a sudden question came to his mind. "Hey, Arianne, are you from Upper or Lower Valua?" 

"I am from Upper Valua." 

Aika and Vyse both stared at her for a long time before the former commented, "No offense, but you seem really different from most Upper Valuans." 

The golden-haired young woman laughed a little. "Thank you." She looked then at Enrique and tilted her head slightly, as if observing him. After a moment, she said, "You certainly don't seem brainwashed, Enrique, as the official report from Valua says. You're traveling with Vyse of your own will?" 

Enrique nodded and explained briefly his reasons for it. 

At the end, Arianne was chuckling slightly. "It's nice to know Valua has _one_ responsible ruler." 

Vyse and Aika had to laugh at that as well. After a moment, Enrique asked the blonde woman, "So, what are you doing here, Arianne?" 

She smiled at him again. "We were hired to perform here," she replied. "It's this evening, at the local bar." She looked thoughtful for a moment, then asked, "Would you like to come? It's the least I can do, in thanks." 

"I'd love to, but it's not just my decision," Enrique replied. "Well, Vyse? Aika? Fina?" 

"Sounds like fun," Vyse said, grinning a little. 

"Yeah, I'm in!" Aika added. "Right, Fina?" 

Fina smiled and nodded. "It sounds like it will be enjoyable." 

Arianne smiled over at Ramirez then, who had been virtually ignored up until that moment. "What about you?" she inquired brightly. 

Instead of replying, Ramirez stared at her evenly, as if to silently ask why she dared bother him. 

Vyse grinned nervously at his behavior, and interjected, "Ramirez...isn't much for conversation. Or being around people. If anything, he's just gonna say 'I'm not interested', or something to that effect. Isn't that right, Ramirez?" 

The white-haired man shifted his gaze over to the male Blue Rogue. ".....I don't mind going," he said, without a trace of sarcasm. 

Vyse stared back at him. "Really?" he said, incredulous. 

Ramirez closed his eyes, and replied in an even tone, "You don't know me as well as you think you do, Vyse." 

Through all these proceedings, Arianne kept silent, watching the two. 

"Great!" one of Arianne's crewmembers, a tall young man with dark chocolate-colored hair, said then, approaching. "We'll see you tonight, then. I'm Miran, a member of the Arianne troupe." 

"Miran..." Arianne said softly, looking up at him. 

He smiled down at her and looked at Vyse and his companions. "We'll be at Polly's. The performance starts at twilight. Don't be late or you'll miss out, understand? By the way, Arianne, me an' the guys finished unloading the instruments while you were talking. We'll see you inside Sailor's Island, all right?" Without waiting for an answer, he laughed, waved at the group, and ran off. 

Arianne shook her head, chuckling a bit at the respective expressions on Vyse's and everyone's faces. "Miran is a little abrupt, but he's right," she smiled. "I still have something to get from my ship, so I'll see you all inside later, all right?" 

"We'll look forward to it, Arianne," Vyse grinned, and he and the others turned to the doors to Sailor's Island and began to walk off. Ramirez glanced after them and waited a moment before walking after them. 

Arianne grabbed the fabric of his jacket before he could go, though. When he glared back up at her, she smiled sweetly. "Do you mind if I speak with you for a moment?" she inquired politely. 

He scowled slightly at her. "What do you want?" he asked, bluntly, but he did not try to escape her grasp, either. 

"I was just wondering why you're traveling with them," Arianne inclined her head slightly to indicate Vyse's leaving form, "since you don't seem to enjoy their company." 

"...I have my reasons," he said simply, not willing to part with more information than necessary. 

Arianne smiled down at him, irritating him; why did this woman have to be taller than him, anyway? 

"What might those reasons be? You don't look like an Air Pirate, after all..." 

"It's none of your business," he replied, not caring how suspicious that sounded. Why did she have to pry into his concerns? 

"Hmmmm..." Arianne regarded Ramirez curiously for a minute or so before saying, "You're not traveling with them of your own free will, are you?" 

He glared at her, growing increasingly irritated at this line of questioning. "...What does it matter to you?" he said, not bothering to hide the rising annoyance in his voice. 

The lady Valuan shrugged her thin shoulders. "It's none of my concern, but you interest me," she told him. "Your...how should I put it?... You seem as if you're in pain, but you're trying to keep everyone around you from noticing." 

The silver-haired man eyed her suspiciously. "How would you know?" he asked, or rather, demanded. 

She smiled widely. "Your body language," she said simply. 

He stared at her mistrustfully, confused. "My what?" 

"Bo-dy lan-guage. The art of speaking without words. The way a person holds himself; a person's expressions; the looks in a person's eyes; a person's subtle movements; these are all parts of body language. These things, among others, tell me much more about you than your words could ever convey. They tell me, 'I don't belong here. I don't want to be here. But there is something binding me here, and so I must stay.'" Arianne lifted a hand to cover a smile at Ramirez's stunned expression. 

Thoroughly unsettled, he took a step backwards before composing himself. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he stated in a flat tone. "Leave me alone." 

She laughed a little. "I hope to see you tonight. You're Ramirez, right? I heard Vyse call you that." 

Ramirez didn't answer. There didn't seem to be a need for it. He turned, and headed in the direction that Vyse and the others had gone in, not bothering to say goodbye. 

Arianne smiled faintly, then turned, and went to collect the things she needed from her boat.  
  
  
  
As the sun began to set, Vyse and the others made their way to the local restaurant, managed by a middle-aged woman named Polly, where Arianne had said she would be performing. Enrique had told them about some of the young lady's works, and from what they'd heard, Vyse, Fina and Aika were eager to listen to Arianne live. Ramirez didn't know whether he wanted to hear the girl play; normally she wouldn't have concerned him in the least, but she had made some unnervingly accurate guesses about him. If he attended her performance, what else would she be able to 'guess' about him? Considering what he had to hide, he didn't particularly want to chance finding out. However, there was no way of conveying this to Vyse without a lot of awkward questions, and considering how much the captain of the Delphinus was looking forward to the performance, it was unlikely that Ramirez could talk him out of attending. So, with an internal sigh, the emerald-eyed Silvite resigned and steeled himself, trailing into the pub restaurant after Vyse and the others. 

Arianne was inside, sitting at a large piano that took up an entire corner, and surrounding her were two young women and two young men with a violin, cello, another violin, and a harmonica, tambourine and guitar, respectively. Ramirez knew little about music, but the motley look of them all had him wondering what kind of sounds they would produce. Enrique spoke well of them—well, of Arianne, in any case—but that didn't really prove anything to him. 

The sunny-haired young woman smiled at them as they entered, her gray eyes lingering on each of them for a second. The performers with her, crewmembers on her boat, grinned and waved at the group, a silent thank-you for the help earlier, and when Vyse and the others (minus Ramirez) returned the favor, they turned back to tuning their respective instruments. The five chose a table close to Arianne and her companions and took their seats, with Enrique closest to the wall, Fina to his left, then Aika, Vyse and finally Ramirez. 

When they sat, Vyse nudged the young Admiral with his elbow. "Hey!" he said in a low voice, knowing that whispers carried, and not wanting to disturb Arianne and the others. "Do you have to be so antisocial?" 

Ramirez looked at him oddly before shrugging. 

"You could at least be a little more polite," Vyse continued when he said nothing. 

Ramirez chuckled darkly, shaking his head slightly so that his bangs covered his face. 

"Yeah, you do that," the Blue Rogue grumbled, turning away to direct his attention to Aika. 

Ramirez glanced at him from underneath his bangs. He still didn't understand why Vyse bothered with him... He redirected his gaze over at Arianne, who had begun to play the piano; an overture of sorts, he assumed, since her companions weren't playing their respective instruments yet. It was a serene tune, somewhat nostalgic, a bit sad; Ramirez couldn't recall ever hearing it before, but he had to admit that it sounded nice. Next to him, Vyse and the others were chatting in low voices, and Ramirez didn't particularly care. Check that; Ramirez found himself watching Vyse through his bangs, careful not to be noticed. He thought of several nights past and suppressed a shiver; when he'd had the nightmare about Hahaue, he had become completely vulnerable to the Blue Rogue... It seemed that Vyse had kept his word and not mentioned or alluded to it, but Ramirez had no idea of what he might tell his friends when he wasn't around. It was extremely uncomfortable, sitting this close to a person to whom he had quite literally cried on; and there were still those unwelcome thoughts that refused to be banished... 

No, he could rid himself of them anytime he pleased, Ramirez corrected himself. He just hadn't had the proper time or opportunity to do so. /_I'll have to rectify it soon,_/ he mentally muttered. 

He folded his hands in front of his face to hide the flush rising into his cheeks. The action did not go unnoticed, as Vyse was not the only one being discreetly watched. 

"Hey." 

Ramirez, startled, glanced up at a girl standing over him, but saw immediately that she wasn't talking to him, since she was looking at Vyse, who had also turned to stare at her. 

"You're Vyse the Daring, aren't you?" she questioned, smiling charmingly. "Do you mind if I sit here?" 

Vyse grinned. "Go ahead," he replied, upon which Aika started glaring at him. 

The girl, a good-looking young lady with light brown hair and lots of the kinds of curves that guys liked, pulled up a chair between Ramirez and Vyse, leaning towards the latter. As Aika glared openly and Ramirez glared inconspicuously, the girl smiled and said, "Hi, my name's Melissa. I'm really glad you let me sit here...you know, I'm a big fan of yours, Vyse. I'm just amazed at how much you've done!" 

Vyse's grin increased. "Well, I don't like to brag, but—ow!" He turned to glare at Aika, who glared back, having just kicked him under the table. 

Aika pulled Vyse close and hissed in a low voice, "Vyse, what are you thinking?!" 

"What are _you_ thinking?! What's gotten into you, Aika?" he hissed back. 

She made a face at him. "Vyse, have you _completely_ forgotten what happened the _last_ time a good-looking girl approached you out of nowhere?" 

Vyse made a face of his own. "You've _got_ to be kidding." 

Melissa waved over at the impetuous redhead. "Is she your girlfriend, Vyse?" she inquired, still smiling ingratiatingly 

"What? Oh, no," he replied, turning back to her quickly. "Just a childhood friend. This is Aika, and next to her is Fina and Enrique. Oh, and to your left is Ramirez." 

The brunette nodded to the three, who returned the gesture with varying levels of enthusiasm, and then smiled over at Ramirez, whose knuckles were going white under his gloves. "These guys are all your friends, Vyse?" 

"Heh..." Again, Vyse grinned nervously. "Yeah, more or less, I suppose." 

Ramirez flinched slightly and resisted the urge to smash something. 

"So anyway," the brunet rogue continued, "what did you want to talk to me about, Melissa?" 

She grinned and drew her legs together, facing him fully. "Well, actually," she began, blushing a bit, "I was wondering how long you were going to be in Sailor's Island, if maybe we could get together tomorrow sometime and hang out... You could tell me all about your adventures, if that's all right..." 

"Wow, really?" Vyse asked with a smile, not quite getting it. "Sure, I'd love—_ow!!_" 

"We're leaving tomorrow. Sorry, Melissa, but this dummy won't be going on any dates anytime soon," Aika stated, having just kicked Vyse again. 

"Aww...really?" Melissa queried, pouting. 

"Yeah...sorry about that," Vyse said sheepishly. "Forgot all about it." 

Aika smacked him over the head. "How could you forget about something like that?!" she demanded. "We're on a schedule!" 

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry!" the young rogue protested. 

Melissa watched the exchange for a second more before sighing and turning to Ramirez. "So...Ramirez, isn't it? Are you with them?" she asked, indicating Vyse and his companions. 

"Whatever it is you're trying to do, I'm not interested," Ramirez stated flatly. 

The curvy brunette pouted and looked hurt. "That wasn't nice," she said. "How can you be friends with Vyse with _that_ attitude?" 

Ramirez dropped his folded hands to the table and turned his verdure glare full force on Melissa. "I don't care what you think of me," he said, his voice and eyes frozen. "Get. Lost." 

She didn't need to be told twice. Melissa scurried out of her seat and took a new place at the bar, where a number of other people had collected. 

Vyse gave Ramirez an irritated look. "What was _that_ for?" he asked. "She didn't do anything to you." 

"What's it to you?" the silver-locked Silvite replied, also irritated. 

Arianne's piano playing drifted to a stop, silencing Vyse's retort. With a thoughtful look, she stood and bowed to the people in the pub, who applauded politely. A small crowd of people had accumulated, although most of them were there more for the food and drink than for the music. However, Arianne smiled at them all. 

"Thank you all for coming this twilight," she stated clearly, a certain musical tone present in her voice. "My name is Arianne, and for the next half-hour, I'll have the pleasure of performing for your entertainment. I hope you all enjoy my music." She sat and, preparing to play again, "My first song for tonight is one of my more recent pieces, a song called _Sound Life_. Please enjoy yourselves." And with that, she began to play, her crewmates joining her. The fourth musician, the one with three instruments who had introduced himself as Miran earlier, chose to play only the guitar, the other two instruments lying at his feet. 

The music was well-done and beautiful, and as it played, Ramirez began to realize why Enrique praised them, though he had apparently only heard a small amount of their music. As such, he listened when Arianne began to sing until her lyrical voice faded away, and as the music continued and then rested to a halt, the people in the pub applauded enthusiastically; even Ramirez put his hands together a couple of times before leaning back in his chair and folding his arms. 

The twilight gave way to evening, and the performance continued; between songs, Vyse and Enrique exchanged whispers that Aika and Fina joined in on, none of which Ramirez bothered to listen in on. The music was well-done, and it was moderately enjoyable; the only thing that irked him was that all of the lyrics of each of Arianne's songs seemed entirely too...cheerful. They all had a ring of the extolment of the wonders and joys of life, and Ramirez knew the seedy underbelly of existence too well to connect with them well. Still, lyrics aside, the music was enjoyable, and Arianne seemed to be ignoring him, so he wasn't overly concerned. 

The performance came down to the last song, and the young Valuan lady stood once again; this time, however, she bore a slightly sad smile. She whispered something to her companions, then faced the crowd. 

"It's a little unexpected; I was going to play something different for the finale, but I had a little change of heart," she said, scratching her cheek. "What I'm going to play is the first song I wrote and composed by myself. It's from...well, probably all of you understand what I'm about to say, but all people undergo a time in their lives when they suffer unbearable sorrow and pain. For some people, that sorrow and pain overwhelms them and takes away everything they hold dear." She flicked her eyes over to Ramirez, an action he did not miss. With a jolt, he realized: _She's talking to _me_._

Arianne bowed slightly. "This song is from that time of my life," she stated softly. "I hope you'll all forgive me for being selfish, playing this for you..." She sat, and her fingers hovered over the keys. "The title is _Komm, süsser Tod_, meaning _Come, Sweet Death_." 

And she played. How she played; the melody, punctuated by the tambourine, was sweet and sad and nostalgic, like the solo tune she'd played at the beginning. The cello joined in, and then the harmonica took over the main melody, with Arianne's piano moving to the harmony line. 

And she sang. 

"I know, I know I've let you down; I've been a fool to myself... I thought that I could live for no one else... But now, through all the hurt and pain, It's time for me to respect The ones you love Mean more than anything. 

"So, with sadness in my heart, I feel the best I could do Is end it all And leave forever... What's done is done, it feels so bad; What once was happy now is sad; I'll never love again, My world is ending..." 

By now, the violins and cello had joined in, adding to the bittersweet song. Ramirez felt distinctly uncomfortable again; he knew that she'd directed that message and this song to him, and he had no idea why. He wondered if he should confront her after the performance was over... 

"I wish that I could turn back time, 'Cause now the guilt is all mine; Can't live without The trust from those you love; I know we can't forget the past—You can't forget love and pride; Because of that, It's killing me inside..." 

The tune changed abruptly, the piano now taking the main harmony with the other instruments supporting. The cellist picked out a pizzicato on her instrument, and Arianne sung again; however, Ramirez stopped paying attention, focusing inward instead to brood. Perhaps it was paranoia on his part, but... Well, there was something eerie about that woman regardless. 

Arianne and her group continued to play heedless, and several minutes later, they finally wound down the music into completion. The pub resounded with applause; regardless of the depressing nature of the lyrics, the song seemed popular. They were given a hefty amount of tips for their performance, and after the pub cleared out a bit, Vyse and his companions approached Arianne to congratulate her on her beautiful performance. Ramirez watched them but did not join them; he had mixed feelings about the last song, and wasn't sure he wanted to approach the weird young lady. 

He stood, and headed towards the door, but did not exit. He stood, away from the crowd, waiting for things to clear up a bit, hoping that he could slip out without Arianne noticing. 

No such luck. She spotted him, and excusing herself from Vyse and Enrique, made her way over to the silver-haired Admiral. 

Ramirez breathed a curse and glared at her as fiercely as he could. That glare had made fully grown men avoid him completely, but Arianne only backed off a few steps, hesitated, regarded him for several seconds, then smiled and approached him anyway. 

That seriously annoyed Ramirez. What did she think she was doing, anyway? 

"Hi," she said almost shyly once she reached him. "What did you think of the concert, Ramirez?" 

He scowled at him. She bowed her head slightly, but beyond that, she didn't back away. With a resigned sigh, Ramirez said somewhat grudgingly, "It was okay." 

"Just okay?" she inquired with a mischievous grin. In the background, Vyse and Enrique, chatting amongst themselves, headed back to the inn with Aika and Fina, glancing over at Ramirez long enough before coming to the mutual agreement that letting him socialize was a good thing, and that the silver-haired man would eventually return of his own accord. 

Ramirez scowled at her. "Why are you bothering me?" he asked, irritated. "Don't you have anything else to do?" 

"Now that the concert is over, I am free for the evening; my friends don't mind taking care of the instruments for me," she replied. "Besides... I was watching you the entire time," Arianne commented with a playful smile. "It was very thoughtful of you to sit so closely." 

Ramirez scowled. "What are you getting at?" 

She shrugged a bit. "I just wanted to talk to you for a little while, if that's okay. My songs didn't seem to be getting your attention, so I decided at the last minute I'd do something that might be more meaningful to you." Her smile became slightly more despondent. "It seems it worked." 

Ramirez hesitated, and then shrugged callously. "If you really want to talk to me that badly, then go ahead," he told her, keeping his tone aloof. "But I'm not much of one for conversation." 

She laughed a little, the brightness returning to her smile. "Vyse commented on that earlier," she reminded him. "But that's okay, Ramirez. Body language, remember." Grinning, her gray eyes sparkling, she continued, "Do you mind if we chat at the inn? We'll have more privacy there." 

Ramirez tensed and looked her over skeptically, at which she laughed out loud. 

"I'm not planning anything evil," she said, amused. "I said I just want to talk, and I meant it." 

Ramirez made a face. He definitely didn't like her far-too-astute 'guesses'. "There's no way you could do anything to me that I didn't want, anyway," he muttered. 

"Right, because you're a soldier and I'm just a musician girl," Arianne agreed jovially. "And before you ask, Ramirez, you have the bearing, stance and discipline of a trained soldier...plus, civilians usually don't walk around with that hanging at their hips," she added at his curious stare, gesturing at the Yafutoman sword at his belt. "Not to mention you're in uniform." 

"Pretty good," Ramirez said begrudgingly; he didn't like being seen through so easily. "Are we going to your room or not?" 

She smiled and, with a small indication of her head, she left the pub and walked down the street to the inn, with Ramirez following after. The two went up to her room, and Arianne seated herself on a chair while Ramirez leaned against the window next to the bed. 

The two of them began to talk then, and Ramirez was surprised at how bold she could be; she spoke to him immediately of politics, war versus peace, and the human condition. Although reserved at first, he soon matched her enthusiasm, and for over two hours, the two debated on the nature of humanity and what sort of result was waiting for the species. Her stance was geared toward pacifism, which annoyed him, but he had to admit that it made for good debate, and her arguments were at least intelligent and perceptive. As the night continued, their conversation turned from debate to more light-hearted topics, and Ramirez admitted that he was enjoying himself. Although he certainly wasn't inclined to trust Arianne, she certainly could manage a lengthy and meaningful exchange, and that made her company surprisingly agreeable. 

However, the dialogue took a turn when Arianne suddenly looked at him seriously, and began, "It's been fun talking with you like this, but... I know who you are. You are one of the Admirals of the Valuan Armada; more precisely, the Sixth. What I don't understand is why you are flying with Air Pirates..." She took a breath, and continued, "I know the Armada is opposed to pirate activity of any sort, so..." She trailed off, leaving the room quiet as she waited for him to respond to her statement. 

Ramirez was stunned. "How...when did you figure it out?" he managed to ask after a few long moments of silence. 

"It's easy to put two and two together, Ramirez. I am a Valuan, and you wear the uniform of a high ranking officer of the Armada. Besides, I know the names, at least, of all the Admirals." Now smiling, she continued, "Now that I've answered your question, would you do me the favor of answering mine, please?" 

He stared at her mistrustfully. "What do you want to know?" he muttered. 

"I'd like to know why the Sixth Admiral of the Valuan Armada is traveling with Air Pirates, when I know for a fact that Lord Galcian hates them," Arianne stated plainly. "I can't picture such a man ordering this." 

He looked away, unwilling to say anything at first. "...I was captured. By them." He related this material grudgingly, not wanting to reveal more than was necessary. 

Arianne blinked, apparently surprised, and tilted her head slightly, studying him closely. "Have you tried to escape?" she inquired. Her gray eyes narrowed slightly when he did not reply. "I see...you haven't," she observed, not missing some small action Ramirez hadn't realized he had betrayed. "Why not?" 

"That...that's..." Ramirez mumbled, looking away. There's no believable lie he could tell her, and he certainly wouldn't betray the truth... 

Arianne regarded Ramirez silently, her pale face unusually serious. "There's someone you like, isn't there," she stated, rather than inquired, quietly. 

Ramirez blinked, the comment catching him off guard. "Excuse me?" 

"One of your crewmates. You remain for that someone's sake; am I correct?" 

The silver-haired Admiral didn't know whether to laugh or shake his head in disgust. "What are you talking about?" he inquired dryly. /_You don't know how wrong you are, Arianne..._/ 

Her smile returned, now also quiet. "Shall I be more direct, then?" she inquired. "I imply that you're in love." 

He choked, then broke out into laughter. "In _love_?" he repeated scornfully. "Even if I _were_, I would never allow such weak sentiments to hinder my duties." 

Her smile changed into one of someone winning an argument. "Do enlighten me, then, as to the reason why you remain with them," she requested politely. 

Scowling, he again averted his gaze. Even if he _did_ think up a believable lie, he didn't think he was a good enough liar to deceive the uncannily perceptive woman. 

Crisscrossing her fingers over her lap, she ventured, "Perhaps it's the girl with the pale blonde hair?" 

"Fina? Hardly," he said dryly. "I just grew up with—hey, wait a moment! I am _not_ in love," he insisted, having been caught off guard momentarily. "And don't even _mention_ that orange-haired scarecrow girl," he added with a glare. 

Laughing, she queried, crossing her arms, "Oh, so you're like _that_, are you?" 

Her peered at her. "Like _what_?" 

"Ohh, I wonder if I should say it..." she sighed, her eyes mischievously bright. "You become so agitated when I say things you don't like to hear, after all." 

"If you're going to say it, say it!" he snapped, crossing his arms. 

Looking up at him with a smile, she met his challenge. "In that case, I'll say it outright: You like men." Smirking, she continued, "So who would it be in _that_ case? The refined and charming Prince Enrique? Or perhaps, considering your repressed nature, you find the wild and carefree Vyse more appealing." 

He gawked at her, stunned speechless. Turning away quickly, clenching his fists so tightly they shook, he glared wide-eyed at the floor and raged internally, /_That...that woman!! How _**dare**_ she?! Me? In love with Vyse?! Preposterous!! I—I can't even believe she would stoop so low as to _suggest_ it!! First of all, there's _no_—_/ 

His train of thought violently derailed, however, when it impacted with the memory of—of that _dream_... 

/_Have you found someone you can love?_/ 

Covering his mouth with one hand, his eyes twitching, Ramirez recalled what happened after that; he had woken up, and so besieged with guilt had he been that he had _wept_—and in Vyse's arms, no less. 

And he had _enjoyed_ it. 

/_But—but _love_? With another man?_/ Ramirez thought, suppressing a shiver./_I hardly consider myself to be a pillar of good virtue, but I know at least I am above _some_ immoralities, and homosexuality is one of them._/ Narrowing his eyes, he continued,/_Oh, certainly I have no interest in women, but people at large are disgusting anyway, so that hardly means that I prefer men._/ Beginning to pace, crossing his arms, Ramirez ranted on, /_Homosexuality of any kind is base! I've known that since child—_/ 

And again, he stopped, suddenly realizing that he hadn't "known" it, he had been _taught_ it. The Elders had quietly impressed him with it through his life, without him ever realizing it—until now, when he actually took the time to think about it. 

/_...That still doesn't make it right,_/ he assured himself quickly, though he could not deny that his logic had been irrevocably shaken. He had always been inclined to disbelieve their dogma, after all, though their propaganda about the evils of Arcadians, at least, was true... /_And that _certainly_ doesn't make _me_...that way. But...but I..._/ 

As the silver-haired Admiral brooded, Arianne watched him silently with wide eyes. After waiting what she thought was a reasonable amount of time, she ventured, "Um...Ramirez, are you all right?" 

His thoughts interrupted, he glared at the taller woman. "Do you _really_," he demanded icily, "think I'm such a man?" 

Her smile returned. "What would you say if I told you 'yes'?" 

He sneered, nearly snarling. "And _what_," he again demanded, "makes you think I'm such a man?" 

"Starting with the obvious," she replied, bemused, "how about how upset you became when I suggested it? You always take it worst when I'm right, it seems." 

Ramirez clenched his teeth and narrowed his eyes. 

"Like that," she noted. "Secondly, I told you that I was watching you today. You brushed off that woman without a second thought, but you seemed rather jealous when she was paying attention to Vyse. Perhaps you didn't want her to steal his affections when you desire their sole possession?" 

"Shut. Up," he hissed. "I am NOT in love with Vyse!! How could I, when he's—" 

"Your enemy?" she guessed. "A detestable Air Pirate? The scum of the earth?" 

"EXACTLY!" he shouted, now beyond caring who overheard. "I couldn't possibly be in love with an enemy!!" 

"Love cares nothing for such things," she countered calmly. "It erases race, background, financial status, education, allegiance—everything. And it's a good thing it does, since if it didn't, those perfect for each other may never receive a chance to connect. Aren't you discriminating against Vyse because of your biases? You should at least ponder it fair-mindedly before you reach a conclusion." 

He glared at her venomously. "Vyse and I," he said with deadly quiet, "are enemies. We could _never_ be together." 

She regarded him, sadness coloring her gray eyes. "But is a man who, despite your being a prisoner, treats you with respect and care an enemy?" 

"Yes!!" Ramirez protested, throwing his arms down in frustration. "Why won't you understand?! He opposes Lord Galcian, and will continue to do so! My loyalties are with Lord Galcian alone!! Therefore, Vyse is my enemy!" 

"Love does not preclude falling for someone fighting for a different cause," Arianne said. "In the same way, just because two people care for each other deeply does not mean that they will always fight on the same side." 

Ramirez thought then of how Enrique chose to fight against Gregorio, despite that the Ironwall Admiral was like a dear family member to him, and shook his head. "He's still my enemy," he said with a hint of desperation in his voice. 

"You can still be in love with him," Arianne countered calmly. "And he doesn't have to be your enemy, Ramirez." 

Ramirez shook his head again, this time more violently, and bowed his head into his hands. "He can't!! We can't..._I _can't be in love with him..." 

"Denial is a powerful force," Arianne noted. "Tell yourself something enough times and even lies will become truth." 

Ramirez flinched again, cursed inwardly, and straightened his posture. /_I...perhaps I _do_ have some...unreasonable affection for Vyse, but I can stop those feelings,_/ he reassured himself, composing himself. /_So it doesn't matter if I play along for a little while._/ 

"...Let's assume, for hypothetical purposes, that I am," he said in a curt tone; only a slight undulation in the undertone betrayed his true anxiety. "What difference would it make? _He_ is not in love with _me_. Unrequited love is useless." 

"How do you know?" she inquired, blinking. "That he doesn't love you." 

He stared. "Women like him," he stated, as if it should be obvious. "He likes women." 

"How do you know his preference, Ramirez?" Arianne asked, slightly amused. "For all you know, he could be pining for you even as we speak." 

Ramirez blushed furiously and turned away, heart pounding. 

"However, I don't think that's the case," she added. "But that doesn't mean that couldn't change. People will respond to your true feelings. If you treat him well and are honest with how you feel, he could fall in love with you." 

He shook his head again. "No...I don't want that..." Ramirez said faintly. 

Arianne looked at him with a mixture of wonder and melancholy. "You would rather be alone?" 

"I'm used to that pain," he muttered, glowering away at the wall. 

"...That's sad..." Arianne stood and, walking over to him, rested a hand on his shoulder. "Even if you're used to the pain, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to be happy..." 

"How could I be happy with _him_?!" Ramirez yelled, too distressed to pull away. 

"I don't know," she said softly. "If you tell him how you feel, maybe you can find out." 

"Stop it!!" Now he twisted around and pushed her away. "Don't touch me!! How can you say those things?!" he snapped. "You don't even understand my position!! I haven't even said if I love him or not!!" 

"Do you love Vyse?" she asked quietly. 

"I don't know!!" he cried, frustrated. "How _could_ I know?!" 

She smiled faintly. "Ask your heart," she replied. "Without prejudice or denial, ask it if you love him. If it tells you 'yes', then you know. And if it tells you 'no', then you know, too." 

Ramirez was silent. 

Arianne took a step forward, her hands clasped before her. Though he refused to meet her gaze, she stared at him forthright. "Ramirez, if you do love him, _tell him_," she urged him. "You'll regret it if you don't." 

"Why should I tell him?" he mumbled. "It will only cause me grief..." 

"Love is beauty, but love is also pain," Arianne stated seriously. "And it can't be done halfway. If you want to grasp what you desire, you have to reach out for it first. You can't just do nothing and expect to be fulfilled; nobody knows what you want but you." 

He groaned and, sitting down heavily on the bed, buried his face in his hands. "What if I'm not sure what I want?" 

"Then that's another journey you'll have to undertake," Arianne replied. "One day, you will probably be forced to choose." 

"That won't happen," Ramirez stated flatly, dropping his hands to his lap and glaring up at her. "My loyalties are with Lord Galcian alone. I will never betray him." 

"You say that now, but the time may come where your loyalties will grow to include Vyse." 

"Don't joke like that," he snapped, standing up. "Me, loyal to that idiot?" He shook his head in disgust. "I grow sick of this. I'm not in love with Vyse. I'm not going to fall in love with Vyse. Whatever it is I feel for him now, I can easily stop." 

"How do you think you can stop it?" Arianne inquired softly, overlooking his confession. 

"...I don't know," Ramirez admitted. "But I can will them away." 

She smiled at that. "Can you will away your pain? Your grief? Your loneliness? Your anger? Your hatred? Your suffering?" 

Ramirez didn't answer. 

"Then how do you think you can will away 'love'?" 

Ramirez didn't want to answer. 

Arianne shook her head slightly, her golden bangs swaying across her forehead. "You're not alone," she told him gently. "There are others who have suffered, are suffering, and will suffer the way you have. And that's all the more reason to open your heart to others and connect—you may find someone who understands you." She offered her hand. "Do you want to be friends?" 

The verdure-eyed Admiral stared at her as if she had randomly babbled incoherent nonsense; perhaps to him, it was. "Friends?" he repeated in disbelief. "With _you_?" 

She smiled a little. "Am I that disagreeable?" 

He frowned slightly. "You certainly haven't made my life any easier." 

"'Life is pain,'" Arianne quoted. "'Anyone who tries to tell you different is selling something.'" She shook her head. "I'm not trying to con you or deceive you, Ramirez. I just want to be your friend." 

"Vyse said something like that to me, too," Ramirez noted. "Sorry, but I can't trust you." 

"Oh, dear. That _is _an impediment to friendship, isn't it?" 

Ramirez couldn't tell if she was serious or joking. 

Arianne glanced outside the window; the sky was an inky pool of nothing. "It's probably very late by now," she commented. "We'd probably best both retire for the night." 

Ramirez shrugged a bit and moved to the door. When he began to turn the doorknob, though, Arianne called out to him. 

"Wait," she said. Ramirez hesitated, but did not look behind at her. "Think it over during the night. You should think about your feelings for Vyse, too. If you really do love him, you'll need someone to talk to about it, right? And knowing the type of person you are, you'll want to keep it a secret from as many people as possible..." 

Ramirez silently acknowledged that he wouldn't want anyone knowing if he were in love with Vyse. 

"But I already know. If nothing else, because of that, you can talk to me." 

He shrugged in an attempt to be callous. "Your offer is kind," he said with a faint trace of sarcasm, "but I prefer to take care of my troubles by myself." 

"You will make yourself alone." 

"I like being alone." 

"Do you?" 

Ramirez opened the door and left. Arguing the point with her had already caused him enough distress; he didn't need or want to embarrass himself in front of her a second time.  
  
  
  
Ramirez didn't sleep at all that night. After changing into his night clothes, he had halfheartedly settled in his bed, the closest of three to the window, and had spent most of the night tossing and turning. It didn't help that Vyse slept in the bed next to his, and whenever he shifted that way, it put the cocky young rogue directly in his field of view. He didn't want to consider what he felt for Vyse; he feared what answer he might find. 

The heavens were pitch black, though the stars glittered across its canopy, when Ramirez gave up on futile slumber and rose from his bed to change back into his uniform and situate himself on the windowsill to stare out and up at the constellations. He sought after and found Wilwarin; the celestial picture of the fluttering butterfly gave him a small measure of comfort. He had not been able to see the stars in Valua, as the skies there were obscured by the dark storm clouds that hung eternally over that land. 

Behind him, he heard a sudden noise, and turning his head, saw Vyse get up out of bed. After watching the Air Pirate stumble towards the bathroom, he returned his gaze to the skies beyond the window. A few minutes later, he was startled when the young man, returning to his bed, noticed him, and spoke to him. 

"What are you doing?" the brown-eyed man said with a yawn, settling back into his bed. 

Ramirez's reply was simple and to the point. "Stargazing." 

Vyse, rolling over, wrapped the blanket around himself and mumbled in reply, "Okay. G'night," before falling asleep once again. 

The Silvite Admiral kept his gaze fixed on Vyse for several moments more, watching him peacefully sleep. The room was dark, so Ramirez couldn't see his face clearly, but he could imagine the undisturbed expression on the Blue Rogue's face as he slumbered. 

Ramirez's chest ached, and he had a sinking feeling he knew why. 

/_...Do I love him...?_/ he mentally whispered, drawing his knees to his chest. 

Surrounded by darkness and starlight, gazing at Vyse, resisting the urge to climb down from his perch on the window and watch over the sleeping pirate, something in him whispered in reply: 

_Yes._

Ramirez's chest ached, and now he knew without a doubt why. 

Turning to look out the window again, the young Admiral hugged his legs. His face stricken, he stared up at the tiny sliver of white light that was the Silver Moon, a silent promise that tomorrow the night sky over Sailor's Island would be only stars. 

/_...I'm really in love with Vyse..._/ he thought in a slight daze. /_How could it have happened? How could I have _let_ it happen? I don't understand...why do I even feel this way towards _him_, of all people?_/ 

Ramirez glanced over at Vyse again, his heart filled with despair. "What am I going to do...?" he whispered. 

Above him, the stars continued to twinkle in the solitude of space.  
  
  
  
The next day, Vyse awoke in a good mood. Yawning and stretching, he pushed aside the blankets and stood. It was then that he spied Ramirez, still sitting on the windowsill. Vyse stared. Wasn't he in that same position at whatever ungodly hour Vyse had woken up at to go to the bathroom? Had he slept at _all_? 

Quietly, Vyse made his way over to Ramirez, but before he could reach him, the silver-haired young man twitched slightly, having turned his head a fraction of an inch to look at the brunet rogue. 

"What?" 

Vyse stared again. "Did you sleep at all last night?" he queried bluntly. 

Ramirez turned away. "Do you care?" 

"Uh...yeah, I do," the Air Pirate said, eyebrows raised. "How are you going to function when you haven't had any sleep? That's not healthy!" 

He shrugged slightly. "You probably haven't noticed since you're always asleep in minutes, but I never rest well," Ramirez informed him. "I've been functioning well enough for the past several years; a loss of two or three hours on any given night is no big deal." 

"Two or three—are you saying that's all the sleep you get a night?!" 

"Four if I'm particularly drowsy." 

Vyse gaped, mouth wide open. /_Four hours at _best_?! No _wonder_ he's messed up!!_/ he thought. Recomposing himself, he asked, "Have you always slept like that? Did you sleep like that in your hometown? Does Fina sleep like that, too?" 

"You ask too many questions," Ramirez replied, irritation evident in his tone. 

Vyse shook his head. "That's insane," he said. "Four hours a night? Insane..." He walked away, muttering, and changed into his normal clothing. 

Ramirez still stared out at the morning blue sky; it had been depressing, watching the stars fade when dawn came... He supposed that it should have been uplifting, or something like that, but he felt too akin to the night for it to affect him that way. 

He heard in the background that Enrique had awakened; he and Vyse were talking about something or another—Ramirez didn't care enough to listen in. He had too many problems of his own to care... 

When Vyse called to him that they were leaving, Ramirez slid down from the windowsill, and keeping his expression carefully neutral, followed them to the first floor of the inn, where Fina and Aika, who had slept in their own room, were waiting. He went with them all across the street to Polly's and ate breakfast with them at the bar, but didn't pay much attention to their conversations; when he was done, he simply set down his utensils and unobtrusively watched Vyse. 

At the moment, he was sharing a joke with the girls, who were both laughing; Enrique was smiling and shaking his head. Polly, the heavyset woman who ran the restaurant and pub, was laughing, too; it made Ramirez wonder what he had missed. Vyse grinned at the four of them, and turned to Polly, who was gathering up plates now. 

"Say, Polly," he said, "I have a ship of my own now, and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind joining my crew as cook. You up for it?" 

/_Forthright,_/ Ramirez noted with some surprise. The middle-aged woman was surprised, too. 

"You sure about that, Vyse?" she asked. "I don't know...just getting up and leaving this restaurant...I have my daughter to think about, after all..." 

"Do it, Mom!" came a girl's voice from behind them. Ramirez turned slightly to see a young girl bearing a number of dirty plates and a striking resemblance to Polly. "I can handle things around here by myself, and besides, you've always said you wanted to sail the world and find my dad ever since he disappeared when I was a baby... You know, I don't even remember his face anymore. If nothing else, do it for me!" 

Polly's face broke into a huge smile and, wiping at her eyes, she nodded. "Of course... I have to find Robinson and show him what a wonderful daughter he has. I'd be glad to join your crew, Vyse!" 

Vyse grinned that cocky little grin that Ramirez had grown used to seeing. The sight of it made him distinctly uncomfortable, and as he and the others were distracted with making arrangements for Polly to join them when they were to leave shortly, Ramirez slipped out of his chair and surreptitiously left the pub. 

The bright light outside irritated his eyes; shielding his face for the moment it took for his eyes to adjust, Ramirez sighed, ambivalence in his heart. 

Considering how he had recruited those two sisters in Yafutoma, the old sword smith past the air rift to that country's north, and the kid and young man here on Sailor's Island, Ramirez supposed that it shouldn't be any big surprise that he'd still be trying to get more crew members, but there was something about Vyse's methods that continued to amaze him. How was it that the arrogant idiot could charm so many people into following him? Ramirez's natural response would be to assume that his followers were idiots too and leave it at that, but due to his world having been turned upside-down just last night, he couldn't leave it at that. Not anymore. 

Walking to the docks to wait for the others, he sighed inwardly. His feelings would make this much more difficult than he had anticipated. But, he reminded himself, despite his feelings, he was loyal to Lord Galcian first. Even if it meant his own unhappiness, he did not have a choice in the matter. In a way, that made it easier; putting Lord Galcian above everything and everyone else meant that he wouldn't have to sort through his tumultuous emotions. It meant he wouldn't have to think... 

He looked up suddenly, startled. Having been wrapped up in his ponderings, Ramirez had reached the docks sooner than expected, but that wasn't what had jolted him from his musings. Arianne was standing in front of him, gazing at him levelly. 

"...Yes?" he asked her, trying to keep his tone level. 

"Are you all right?" she inquired quietly. 

He shifted his gaze to the ground. "I'm fine..." he replied in a tone that would indicate to most people that he was, in fact, not. 

Arianne sighed, her expression becoming sad. "Have you asked yourself?" She didn't need to add what he had asked.   
  
The young Admiral did not answer at first; then, finally, "Yes." 

"...And the answer?" 

Still not meeting her gaze, he did not say a thing for a full minute. "...Yes," he said at length, inwardly cursing for even admitting it to someone other than himself. Though, he reasoned, it didn't really make a difference, since she already knew, in a sense. 

"You are...suffering," she noted sadly. 

He did not respond, and merely stood there, hating her pity. 

"Why do you do that? Shutting yourself off from others...do you think you can protect yourself that way?" Arianne questioned, anguish tainting her words. "Do you think you won't be hurt that way?" 

He looked back up at her, his expression blank. "What does it matter? It's not your problem..." he said, quietly. 

"Is it really so strange to you that someone would care about you and wish you happiness?!" she cried. 

"You don't even _know_ me," he replied, eyes hardening. "Why do you care about how I feel?" 

She shook her head. "You don't understand," she replied. "I don't want anyone to be unhappy. You...you've been hurt deeply, in a way I can't yet fathom...and I can't stand that." She blinked, and the action sent tears cascading down her cheeks. "I want to help you. Do you think I approached you for no reason?" 

There was a long pause of awkward silence. As she dried her tears, Ramirez stood there, uncertain of what to do or say. After a moment, he opened his mouth, but was cut off by the sound of approaching footsteps. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Vyse approaching with a barely suppressed smile on his face. 

Inwardly he cursed. Undoubtedly, the young rogue, seeing the two of them together again after they had spent so much time together the night before, was coming to all the wrong conclusions, and as such would surely comment on it. Before Vyse could say anything, he instead asked of the brunet man, "What do you want?" 

Vyse grinned then. "Nothing, nothing," he said lightly. "I just noticed that you'd left without saying anything, and I got worried and went to look for you." 

Ramirez blinked. "You were...worried about me?" he repeated, feeling slightly flustered. 

Vyse looked down at him. "Yeah. Is there something wrong with that?" he asked, some slightly confused. 

Ramirez blinked twice rapidly and looked away, scowling at how his heartbeat was increasing so quickly. "Nothing, I guess," he muttered. "So you found me. As you can see, I wasn't up to anything suspicious." 

The young captain smiled a little, and nodded. "Well, if you're ready, I can get the others, and we can get going," he said, waiting for the smaller man's reply. 

"I'm ready," Ramirez replied sullenly. 

Vyse smiled again. "Well, just wait here, okay? I'll be right back!" With that, Vyse turned and headed back into town. 

Arianne watched him leave, but Ramirez just glared at the ground between his feet. Once he was gone, the lady Valuan turned to Ramirez. 

"What are you going to do?" she asked quietly. "To confess your feelings to him, I mean..." 

The silver-haired swordsman smiled mirthlessly. "'Confess'?" he repeated. "I am not going to 'confess' anything to him." 

Arianne stared at him silently. "You may regret that someday..." she said at length. 

He shrugged. "I don't know anything about that." 

They both remained silent, not saying another word to each other, until Vyse returned with the others. 

"It's nice to see you again, Arianne," Enrique smiled at the young lady. "I truly enjoyed your music; I wish you the best of luck in the future." 

She smiled in return. "I wish you luck as well." She nodded to Vyse, Aika and Fina in turn. "It was also good to meet all of you, too. I hope we'll meet again sometime in the future." 

Vyse smiled and replied, "I hope so, too. I really liked that concert." 

Ramirez remained silent, as usual. 

"You know, Fina, you and Arianne should get together sometime and sing together," Aika commented jokingly, gently elbowing her friend. "Your voice is at least as good as hers, after all. You two would make a great duet!" 

Fina blushed and smiled shyly. "I..." 

Arianne laughed, pushing a few strands of hair out of her face. "Perhaps we should do that sometime, Fina," she offered. 

Fina replied softly with an honest smile, "I'd...like that..." 

Vyse grinned at this exchange, but interjected, "Sorry to break it up, but I guess we really should be going, huh?" 

The golden-haired musician girl nodded. "The same for me. May we meet again someday." 

Vyse smiled and waved, and moved to leave. His companions followed him, except for Ramirez, who glanced at Arianne first. 

"I assume you have something to say to me first," he muttered. 

She smiled at him. "I just want to be your friend," she said, quietly. "Just think on that..." 

Ramirez regarded her silently, unsure of how to respond. 

"Hey!" Vyse called to them, running up. "Ramirez, what are you waiting for?" 

"...I was just talking a little with Arianne first," he replied, slipping into an unemotional mask. 

Vyse smirked and joked, "Saying goodbye to your girlfriend?" 

Ramirez's eyes narrowed, and without answering, he walked past Vyse to join the others on the miniature boat that would return them to the Delphinus. 

"I'm not Ramirez's girlfriend," Arianne pointed out. 

Vyse grinned nervously, shutting his eyes. "I was just kidding..." He opened his eyes and smiled more seriously. "Say, Arianne, I was thinking...do you want to join my crew?" 

She blinked, surprised. "You want me to join your crew?" 

"Yeah. You could help keep morale high with your playing, and your friends can join too, if you all want. So will you?" 

Arianne considered the proposition for a moment, then shook her head. "I'm still on my own journey," she told him. "And you're still on yours. Maybe sometime in the future?" 

He grinned. "'Someday' is better than 'never'," Vyse replied. "See you later, then!" 

She smiled and nodded, and with a wave, the two of them parted ways.  


* * *

**  
NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal Arcadia_ [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong. 

**Ayu:** A baby piano is, contrary to what it sounds like, a very big fuggin' piano. It would not be fun if one ran over you. 

**Ianthe:** Yes, we know Arianne is Mary Sue-ish.   
Ayu: We apologize for it. If you can tolerate her coming back a couple of chapters more, her character gets better-rounded. 

**Ayu:** Arianne is named after the vocalist for _Komm, süsser Tod_, an insert song from _The End of Evangelion_, which, yes, was the song transcribed in the story. 

**Arianne:** "_'Life is pain. Anyone who tries to tell you different is selling something.'_"   
**Ayu:** This quote is taken from The Princess Bride, by S. Morgenstern. In the book, Fezzik's mother says it, but in the movie, Westley says it. 

**Ayu:** Previously, due to...all sorts of circumstances, Vyse hadn't had the time to recruit crew members. Now he's making up for lost time, which is why that's being mentioned all of a sudden. In case people didn't get it, Vyse recruited Lawrence (the prostitute ^^;;) and Pinta between arriving at Sailor's Island and going to Arianne's concert. In the re-writes, we'll be introducing the crew members sooner to make it more sane. 

**Ayu:** The title of this chapter is a line from _NOIR_'s opening theme, _Kopperia no Hitsugi_ (_Coppelia's Coffin_), by ALI PROJECT. The song Arianne sings is _Komm, süsser Tod_, from _The End of Evangelion_. Full lyrics to both can be found at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!_, the link to which you can find below. 

**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com   
**Contact Ianthe of d.I:** ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))   
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net))


	9. Chapter 09: Omoi no Subete Iemasu ka

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  
**Chapter 9:** Omoi no Subete Iemasu ka  
(_Can You Say All of Your Feelings?_)

  
  
  
  
  


Vyse grinned as he stepped out into the sunshine and warm breeze, admiring the structures erected across Crescent Isle. Coming home to the start of his own base after making multiple discoveries, including that the world was round, all added up to one thing: Life was good. Life was _damn_ good. 

Aika shared his enthusiasm, her excitement was almost visible. "The island really looks like a base now!" she cheered, grinning at her childhood friend. 

Fina also looked quite happy, and smiled at her friend's delight. "After everything we've managed to do—making all those discoveries, defeating Bluheim, defeating Valua, saving Yafutoma, retrieving the Blue Crystal, receiving the Book of Polarity, and having this wonderful base—it really seems like an occasion to celebrate, doesn't it?" 

"Heck yeah!" Aika grinned. "C'mon, Vyse, how 'bout it?" she asked her captain, elbowing him a bit. "Let's have a party and relax before we head out again!" 

Enrique nodded in assent, also admiring the island. "We've worked hard," he smiled, "especially you, Vyse. Besides, it would be good to settle in to the place—get to know it before we head off again." 

Vyse grinned in reply. "Sure! Sounds like a good idea to me." 

Ramirez watched it all quietly, not bothering to add anything as they started to make plans. The crew members whom Vyse had recruited were also getting involved, until the preparations had some semblance of form: as Ramirez understood it, the common room under the personal living quarters that had been built for Vyse and his main crew (Ramirez was startled to learn that he was considered a part of that group along with Aika, Fina and Enrique) would be the place for the actual celebration. 

Ramirez truly saw no reason for a "party". Even though they had three of the Crystals, since they were not utilizing them, it meant absolutely nothing. In addition, there were still two more Crystals—meaning two more chances to fail miserably. There was simply too much work left for there to be sufficient reason to rejoice like that. 

He supposed it was just a fundamental difference between himself and these people. 

The jade-eyed swordsman leaned against one of the walls, musing briefly on the events that had passed before pushing them aside. He stared blankly at the sky, until he was surprised by a sudden voice. 

"Hey." 

He turned his head, and saw the man to whom the voice belonged. Vyse. Of _course_ it was him. "Yes?" he asked in response to the brunet man's greeting. 

"We need to talk." The young pirate was unusually serious. 

Ramirez's pulse quickened, but he allowed no expression to cross his face as he straightened. "About what?" 

"Well, about the way things have been going lately. If you want, we can go somewhere private," Vyse replied. 

Ramirez ran several possible scenarios over his mind as he nodded curtly. He would learn before long what Vyse wanted, but it was best to be prepared for whatever it might be. Then again, he groused, Vyse had a tendency of surprising him, rendering any internal preparations useless. 

"Why don't we go to my room?" Vyse suggested, to which the Silvite merely nodded again. 

The walk there was a quiet one—for Ramirez, in any case. Vyse greeted people as they went, smiling and being his usual cheerful self. The young Silvite watched him, painfully aware of the tightening in his chest. 

/_What does he want with me, anyway..._/ 

When they reached Vyse's room, a bare wooden place with only a bed, a desk and a couple of chairs, the blue rogue sat and gestured for Ramirez to do the same. 

Ramirez shook his head. "I prefer to stand," he said quietly. "What is it you wanted to discuss, Vyse?" 

Vyse sighed and began, "Well, I realize I've been a bit cold to you these past few days, but...you haven't exactly been friendly yourself. It's difficult to work together when there's tension, you know?" He looked up at the other man, awaiting his reply. 

Ramirez blinked twice rapidly, the only outward reaction to Vyse's statement. "I understand your words but not your point." 

"You've been cold to people," Vyse stated plainly. 

The Admiral frowned slightly. "I would think you've been around me long enough to realize that being cold is part of my character," he responded. 

The brunet youth frowned. "I mean, you've been down right rude to people. Including me," he pointed out. 

Ramirez shrugged. "And your complaint is?" 

"What I'd like is some respect." 

The Silvite swordsman regarded Vyse for a moment. Perhaps it was paranoia, or maybe the rush of unnecessary adrenaline that his heart kept pumping into his system, but Ramirez had the distinct feeling that there was more to it than that. "Is...that all?" he finally asked in a neutral tone. 

"No." Vyse stood and took a few steps forward until he was directly in front of Ramirez, who refused to back away out of principle. "I meant what I said a few days ago. I _do_ want to be your friend—or at least, I did. You've been extremely antagonistic and unpredictable and I have no idea what you really think about me; because of that, I can't call you a friend yet, even though I'd like to. I'm not going to try if you flat-out hate me and would rather die than be friends with me. I have other things to worry about." Ramirez silently cursed Vyse's height advantage as the rogue stared down at him. "But if you're willing to set our differences aside and be friends, then I am too." 

"...Er..." the Silvite stammered, momentarily flustered by Vyse's actions. He had the uncomfortable sensation that his cheeks were beginning to burn. He cursed inwardly again, frustrated at his lack of control over his body's reactions. It was a long minute until he was sure he was collected enough to reply properly. "...I...suppose..." 

Vyse furrowed his brows, confused by Ramirez's noncommittal answer. Why was he acting embarrassed? It wasn't as if the silver-haired young man was unused to speaking his mind clearly. "What do you suppose?" Vyse questioned, wanting clarification. 

For a third time, the young Admiral swore mentally. /_Does he want me to say it? 'I want to be your friend'? ...'Friend' means nothing to me. But still... I can't say it, even if it would allow me to get closer to him..._/ He looked at Vyse steadily and said nothing. 

Vyse shook his head, starting to get irritated. "Am I wasting my time?" 

Ramirez looked away and said quietly, "Perhaps... I could..." He felt the dreaded heat rise again in his face. 

Vyse blinked, surprised. "What?" 

Again, Ramirez didn't answer, glowering at a corner and hating the blood that refused to flow out of his face. 

Slowly, it dawned on Vyse: Ramirez _did_ want to be friends with him. Why else would he be acting so embarrassed? But, he reflected, the other man was in an awkward situation. He didn't want to make Ramirez feel like his loyalties would be tested, so Vyse decided that he would refrain, for the time being, from forcing him to say anything like that. 

"Hey," he said, placing a hand on the green-eyed man's shoulder. "It's okay." 

Reflexively, Ramirez took a step backwards, and he immediately regretted it. In addition to needing to seem friendly to effectively carry out his plans, he _did_ want to be touched by Vyse, though only a little... He forced himself to look at the brown-eyed rogue. 

Vyse didn't seem upset; he was actually smiling at him comfortingly. "All I'll ask for right now is respect, all right?" 

Ramirez's eyes widened slightly, reflecting his amazement. /_So he isn't as dense as I thought..._/ he mused. "...All right," he said quietly with a small nod. 

Vyse's smile increased a bit; he was quite pleased that they had reached an agreement. He wondered if the normally asocial man would be inclined to open up to people a bit more now. "Are you gonna go to the party?" he asked, pursuing that line of thought. 

Ramirez stared. "Party?" he repeated, as if that was the first time he'd heard of such a thing. 

"Yeah," Vyse said, a bit puzzled at the other man's reaction, "we're having a party tonight. I was wondering if you were going to show up or not." 

"...Social events are usually not my thing..." Ramirez said, sounding distinctly uncomfortable. He paused, and added, "....But since it's a request from you...all right." 

Vyse wanted very much so to ask why that made a difference, especially since he hadn't actually made a real request—at least, not yet—but he knew when not to push his luck. Probably Ramirez was doing it as an indirect apology for his previous hostilities, Vyse reasoned; his pride and loyalty wouldn't let him say anything, so doing a small favor like that made sense. 

So, instead of asking for the reason, Vyse said with a congenial smile, "Glad to hear it. It's gonna start as soon as the sun sets, all right?" 

Ramirez nodded once, looking a little less distressed. Apparently he had been expecting an interrogation. 

Vyse turned to leave, hesitated, then looked back at Ramirez. "There anything you want to say to me?" he inquired. 

The Silvite swordsman's heartbeat quickened, but he maintained a straight face as he desperately tried to decipher Vyse's meaning. Did he want an apology? Or was he insinuating that he...knew? Or was it something completely innocent? Deciding that no matter what Vyse meant, an apology, however empty, would probably not out of line, Ramirez cautiously ventured, "...I'm sorry?" 

Vyse laughed at that. "That wasn't what I was talking about, but I'm glad to hear you say that anyway." 

"...What did you mean, then?" 

The young rogue shrugged. "Just...anything else you had to say." 

Ramirez frowned slightly. "There isn't anything I have to say in particular..." 

"That's okay, too," Vyse said with a slight shrug. "Let's go, then." 

"Ah—one thing," Ramirez added hastily. He averted his gaze, hating his body's reaction. This coming apology meant absolutely nothing; he was only saying it to further dupe Vyse, the overly trusting fool. There was no sincerity in it at all. But his body refused to remain calm... "...I _am_ sorry. About...ruining your shirt, among other things." 

Vyse was temporarily speechless. Recovering quickly, the young pirate replied, "It's okay. I already got over it." He was curious as to why Ramirez was suddenly apologizing at all, but decided to let it slide. Pushing open the door, he started to leave, but waited for the other man to follow. Ramirez, who had been distracted with beating his unwanted feelings into submission, noticed the action and walked quickly over to Vyse. Together, the two of them left. 

As they returned to the ground level, Vyse admired again the job that Izmael had done on the island, and glancing over at his silver-haired companion, asked, "So what do you think of the base, Ramirez?" 

The shorter man glanced at some of the buildings, and then replied, "It's functional." 

"'Functional'?" the captain of the Delphinus repeated, trying not to laugh. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?" 

"It's a statement of fact," Ramirez replied, feeling slightly annoyed. 

The young rogue had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. It was just so typical of him to say something like that. 

The white-haired man noticed the movement and allowed some of his irritation to show. "What?" 

The Air Pirate shook his head. "Nothing, it's nothing," he said, trying to avoid getting in a fight with him now, especially since he had actually been semi-decent of late. 

Ramirez glared at Vyse for a few seconds more before glancing away, effectively letting the matter drop. There was no point in holding a grudge over something so petty. 

"Vyse!" Aika greeted her friend as he and Ramirez stepped off of the stairs, running up to the two. "Guess what!" 

Judging from her mischievous grin and the fact that she was hiding something behind her back, Vyse was certain she had an unpleasant surprise in store. Attempting to discreetly hide behind his companion, he asked, "What?" 

Aika's grin widened and she brought out what she was hiding—a large bottle of loqua. "Polly brought 'em with her without telling us!" she cheered. "Said she was saving 'em for cooking, but figured it was better off enjoyed at the party tonight! Can you believe our luck?" 

Any worries Vyse had about what she could have had vanished, and he smiled broadly. "That's great!" he said, now happy about her surprise. 

Ramirez was considerably less enthusiastic. /_Loqua? Moons, no... And I already told Vyse I'd go; if I change my mind now, he'll want a reason..._/ he thought, managing to maintain a neutral expression. /_...I'll just have to be careful to stay away from it, not drink anything..._/ 

The brown-haired Blue Rogue turned to him then, grinning. "You much of a loqua drinker, Ramirez?" he asked. 

"No," he replied quietly. /_I stay away from it as much as I can, thank you..._/ 

"Aww, you're missing out. You ever had any before?" 

/_Yes, and I never want to have even a sip of it ever again..._/ "...Not really." 

"That so? You really _have_ missed out, then," Vyse replied, misinterpreting Ramirez's words. "You should give it a try." 

The Silvite male resisted the urge to squirm. This conversation was not heading in a good direction... "I'd...rather not," he politely declined, trying not to sound too stiff. 

Vyse shook his head. "You're way too uptight," he said with grin, and then redirected his attention to his childhood friend. "Aika, do we have enough food for everyone?" 

Relieved that the conversation had taken its focus away from him, Ramirez took that moment as a chance to get away from Vyse. Aika and Vyse either didn't notice, didn't mind or didn't care. The snowy-haired swordsman was pragmatic enough to realize that it amounted to the same thing and was simply grateful that he could be left alone. He wandered the island, taking in the new scenery; he personally liked it better when it hadn't been molested by human construction, but there was no helping that now. 

Ramirez made his way to the small pool where he and Vyse had...quickly setting that memory aside lest his face turn crimson, the Silvite swordsman focused on Fina, who was gazing at the small body of water. He knew he had yet to apologize for how he had treated her harshly when he had initially (and unwillingly) joined the group; in addition, their last conversation had ended sourly. However much he didn't want to do so, and regardless of the fact that he didn't feel sorry, Ramirez knew he had to apologize. 

Approaching her, he decided to get it over with. "Fina," he said, alerting her to his presence. 

She glanced at him, startled; apparently she hadn't heard him approach. She cast her eyes downward, her expression sad. "...Yes?" 

He gazed over at her, his expression blank as always. "You don't look happy to see me. Why?" he asked bluntly. 

"I..." Fina clenched her hands in front of her, hesitant and slightly afraid. "I...it's just that...back in Yafutoma, when we were talking...you seemed to get upset about something..." 

He flicked his gaze away from her, gazing into the pool of water. "...Never mind that." 

"I'm sorry..." she murmured, her eyes beginning to brim with tears. 

He looked back at her, startled by her reaction. Somehow, it triggered memories of how things used to be, making him feel slightly guilty about what he was doing. But he had other, more important commitments. Such petty feelings were of no use to him. So, he bade her, "Don't cry." 

"I, I'm sorry," she said again, wiping at her tears. "I just..." She sniffed. "I really wish things could be like they used to be..." She looked at him then. "I miss you, Ramirez. I miss the _old_ you. I...I don't like this person you've become!" She blurted that last part out, and even she seemed surprised by her daring. Fina immediately looked away again. "I...I'm sorry," she whispered for the third time. 

He regarded her for a long moment, pushing aside his guilt again, and then said, without emotion, "Things happened." 

As soon as he spoke, he regretted it. He didn't want to get into this kind of discussion with her. There was no changing his perspective; his mind was set. He had only wanted to make a show of apologizing, and now it seemed he was caught up in a discussion in which he didn't want to take part. 

Fina gazed at him again, and inevitably, she asked the question he knew she would: "_What_ things happened?" 

He shook his head. "Let's drop that subject," Ramirez said, trying to keep the terseness out of his voice. "I came here for a reason." 

Her green eyes widened. "What?" she uttered. 

There was no backing out of it now. Ramirez only hoped that Fina would get distracted from trying to drag his past out of him. "I want to apologize. For...several things," he stated, staring out at the empty azure heavens. 

"Why?" she asked softly. 

/_"Why"? Isn't the act itself enough for her?_/ he thought, irritated. "Because...I've been cruel to you," Ramirez lied. "I keep making you cry." 

"Ramirez..." she whispered, her eyes filling with tears again. Suddenly, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly and weeping into his uniform. 

Of all responses, that was the one Ramirez should have expected yet had not anticipated at all. Staring down at her, bewildered and vaguely put off, he hesitantly returned the embrace in an awkward attempt to comfort her. 

After several uncomfortable moments, she pulled away and wiped her eyes. Gazing up at him shyly, Ramirez couldn't help but feel that she was waiting for him to do something, though he had no idea what. /_Moons...what does she want from me?_/ he grumbled without changing his mien. 

"Um..." she murmured, clutching at his jacket, "Ramirez...do you..." She blushed deeply but did not look away. "Do you think I'm pretty?" 

The prodigal Silvite could not bring himself to answer that question. Yes, she was a beautiful woman, much like her mother, but... He didn't like where this was going. 

Fortunately for him, he didn't have to answer. Fina simply shook her head and looked away with a wistful smile. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "It was silly of me to ask. Please forget I said anything..." 

He felt a sudden wave of relief at that. It was so much easier to not have to deal with this. The reprieve didn't last long, however, because at that moment, Ramirez noticed Aika, Vyse, and Enrique standing several feet away, watching him and Fina, each of them with amused looks on their faces. 

The silver-haired Admiral growled mentally. How long had they been there? It was bad enough that she had...but with them watching, too? He felt heat rise in his face along with his antipathy. 

Fina, not yet noticing her friends, took a step away, her cheeks pink and stained with tears. She was smiling faintly, though. "...Thank you for humoring me, Ramirez," she said quietly. "And...thank you for apologizing. It really means a lot to me..." 

The black-clad man nodded slightly, barely managing to restrain his growing irritation at the others watching them. Did they think this was some kind of show? What was so amusing about this? 

She noticed his distraction and stared at him then. "Ramirez? What's—" At that moment, she noticed Vyse and the others, and turned bright red. "...oh." 

Ramirez, his vexation reaching the breaking point, glared in the direction of the Vyse and the other two. They at least had the decency to look sheepish. 

"Sorry for spying, but we didn't want to ruin the moment," Vyse said with an embarrassed grin. 

"You looked like you were getting along so well, after all," Enrique added, smiling. 

"Yeah, almost as well as you and Moegi, huh, Enrique?" Aika teased the blond Prince, at which he blushed deeply. 

Fina stared at the ground, clearly highly embarrassed. Ramirez, however, left her, and strode purposely past the trio. He didn't want to get involved with this at all, especially since they had all misunderstood completely. 

"Ramirez," Vyse called after him. 

The male Silvite stopped dead in his tracks. "What?" he replied without looking back at the brunet man. 

"Sorry." And Ramirez could tell that, unlike his own false apologies, Vyse meant it. 

He sighed slightly and continued to walk away. He needed to be alone.  
  
  
  
In the afternoon, Vyse and the others congregated in the meeting room that Izmael had built in the side of the mountain to discuss their upcoming plans, and it was decided that they should try the Lands of Ice, where the Purple Crystal was likely to be hidden. Afterwards, when evening came, the party began, and Vyse and his main party as well as his crew mates, including the girls from Clara's ship who had joined earlier that day, were all enjoying themselves, mingling and eating and drinking. There was enthusiastic talk on what adventures they would all see next, how they would all make their respective dreams come true. Enrique was drinking lightly, wanting to stay sober in case anyone got out of hand; Fina had had half a glass and was as a result extremely giggly. Vyse was on his third drink and going strong, but he was nowhere near Aika, who was on her fifth drink and tearing up the party. Ramirez was standing in a corner, painfully aware of how much he didn't belong here, and not drinking at all. It seemed that Aika and Vyse were having a heated discussion of some sort, but Ramirez just shrugged ignored it. It didn't concern him. None of this concerned him. But then an unexpected, loud outburst from their direction suddenly caught Ramirez's attention. 

"AIKA!! Shut the hell up!!" Vyse was yelling. 

"Are you denying it?" she smirked, waving a half-empty glass of loqua in his face. 

He blushed. "...It's none of your business!" he snapped. "How would you know what my love life is like, anyway?!" 

"Vyse, I'm your _best friend_!" the ginger-haired rogue laughed. "I'm ALWAYS with you! And I _know_ you've never had a girlfriend, so unless your dad got you a hooker when I wasn't paying attention, I know you've never gotten 'lucky'!" 

"Aika, you suck and I hate you!" the blue-clad Blue Rogue yelled. 

"Hah!" Aika snorted. "You're just jealous that I'm more popular with the boys than you are with the girls!" 

"I am NOT!" Vyse denied. "And I could get any girl I wanted if I felt like it!" 

"Oho?" she laughed. "And when was the last time you had a date, Vyse?" 

Vyse turned bright crimson and mumbled something. 

"C'mon, Vyse, louder, so everyone can hear you!" 

"I've never _been_ on a date!" he snapped. 

"AND HE ADMITS IT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" Aika crowed. Jumping up onto the nearest table, she posed and spread her right arm out in Vyse's direction with a flourish. "Everyone, let me introduce Vyse the Unkissed Virgin!!" 

Vyse groaned and buried his face in his hands as the partygoers laughed at the drunk pirate girl's antics. 

Ramirez took a few steps forward; enough was enough, and everyone else seemed to be enjoying the spectacle too much to stop it. "So what?" he asked coldly, drawing the room's attention to him. "Is there something wrong with being a virgin?" 

Aika considered the young Silvite male thoughtfully before grinning and shrugging. "Nope," she chirped. "I just like making fun of Vyse! 'Cause he's just so darn makefunofable!" 

Ramirez raised an eyebrow and shrugged. Well, at least he'd served his purpose of turning the focus off of Vyse, who looked very much like he wanted to either disappear off the face of the planet or strangle Aika with her own hair. Aika, not noticing or unconcerned with Vyse's anger, hopped down from the table and sauntered over to Fina, who could not stop giggling, and Enrique, who was having a difficult time staying composed. The conversation of the other crew members returned to normal, as they busied themselves with their own private matters instead of the topic of Vyse's virginity. 

Ramirez regarded said seething Blue Rogue with a sort of approval. For some reason, Arcadians had the strange idea that men weren't "real" men until they'd slept with a woman, but Ramirez thought it was much better to remain chaste. Also, it pained him to admit, even if it was only to himself, knowing that Vyse had yet to be physically claimed appealed to him. 

He was a little surprised when Vyse looked his way and gave him a smile. The young captain grabbed a couple of drinks off of a nearby table and headed towards him. Ramirez backed up against the wall out of reaction, but otherwise didn't retreat as Vyse joined him. 

"Hey," the brown-eyed young man greeted him. 

Ramirez nodded in reply. 

Vyse grinned a little at him. "Thanks." 

That puzzled Ramirez slightly. "For what?" 

"For helping me out back there. I thought I was going to die of embarrassment." Vyse shrugged helplessly. "Aika's terrible when she gets sloshed." 

The male Silvite shrugged slightly. "It was nothing." 

"Maybe it was nothing to you, but it meant a lot to me," Vyse said warmly. "Thanks a lot." 

Ramirez felt his heart pound in his chest and suddenly he found he couldn't seem to reply to that. 

"Here." Vyse offered him a glass of an amber liquid. 

Ramirez gave him a quizzical look, hesitating to accept the proffered glass. 

Vyse smiled at him. "It's just loqua," he explained, still offering the glass. "It'll help you relax." 

Finding his voice again, Ramirez shook his head. "I'd...rather not." 

"Oh, come on. Why not?" 

"I'm really not interested..." 

Vyse laughed. "It's just loqua, Ramirez. One drink won't hurt you." 

He remembered all too well what had happened the last time... But, at the same time, he didn't want to have to explain that fact to Vyse. Refusing would certainly lead down a path of interrogation he didn't want to travel. He stalled, then accepted the glass. "If...you say so," he said as he took it. 

The brown-eyed Blue Rogue grinned. "That's the way!" he said cheerfully, taking a sip of his own drink. "Nice to see you loosening up for once, Rami!" 

Ramirez stared into his drink. He had a sudden and very distinct sense of foreboding. 

"So, Rami, later on, do you wanna go stargazing? It's really clear around here, and we could get a good view if we go to the balcony outside the meeting room," Vyse said, trying to start a conversation. 

Ramirez nodded, his tenseness causing him to miss the use of the disliked nickname. Anything. Anything as long as he could lose the accursed drink. 

"Really?" the young pirate asked, honestly pleased. "I was half-expecting you to refuse. You surprise me sometimes, Ramirez." 

The white-haired Silvite shrugged again. 

Vyse suddenly felt very awkward. Ramirez sure knew how to kill a conversation before it even got started... "Hey, you haven't touched your drink yet," he noted. 

Ramirez's pulse began to race again, and this time for a very different reason. But there was no putting it off anymore. He raised the glass to his lips and took a drink. 

"How's it taste?" Vyse asked with a grin, not realizing Ramirez's aversion to the alcoholic beverage, before taking a swallow of his own drink. 

The green-eyed man's reply was succinct: "...Bitter." 

Vyse waved it off. "You get used to the bitterness after a while," he said. "It's an acquired taste, really. Maybe you need something fruitier?" 

He did not reply to that, and took another drink, despite the fact that every rational nerve in his body screamed at him to stop while he was ahead. 

"So what made you decide to agree to be nicer?" Vyse tried to start up a new conversation. "If you don't mind my asking, that is." 

"...You impressed me. With Bluheim." While that was certainly not the whole truth, it was the most he felt he could admit. The other two major reasons were either too important or too sensitive to reveal. 

"Heh, so you're finally admitting I'm not as incompetent as you thought I was?" the brown-eyed rogue grinned. 

Ramirez shrugged. "Perhaps." 

"Just 'perhaps'? Should I be insulted?" Vyse asked with mock hurt. 

"Whatever way you want to take it," the male Silvite said plainly. 

"You're no fun," Vyse complained, taking a drink. He was silent for a moment, then grew suddenly and unexpectedly serious when he continued, "Ramirez. Can I ask you something?" 

"Yes?" 

"Do you hate me?" 

Ramirez stared at him, surprised at the sudden question. "Why?" 

He smiled a bit, hopelessly. "Well, it'd make a lot of sense, wouldn't it?" Vyse sighed and stared at the remaining contents of his glass, which he swirled languidly. "I dunno, it's just it's really hard to try to communicate with you. Either you're trying to pick a fight or you're just shutting me out completely. Maybe it's just me. Maybe I've had too much to drink." 

Ramirez shook his head slightly, almost, and took yet another drink. 

"So do you?" 

"No." That much, at least, was the truth. 

Vyse glanced over at him, a smile playing at his lips. "Really?" 

The male Silvite merely nodded. He noticed that, oddly enough, his face felt warm, but he didn't think that he was that embarrassed. 

"Heh..." Vyse laughed a little. "I'm pretty happy to hear that." He took another drink. "I don't know, maybe you think I'm stupid, and maybe I _am_ stupid, but even if you hated me...I think I'd still like you." Vyse drained his glass and sighed, his cheeks slightly flushed. "Whew...I think that's it for me tonight." 

Ramirez felt his face grow warmer and knew for sure why this time. Quickly, he took another drink to try and hide it before Vyse noticed. 

The captain of the Delphinus stretched, then walked over to the nearest table and set down his empty glass. He glanced back at Ramirez and smiled, then nodded his head toward the door before heading in that direction. 

Ramirez took the hint. Finishing his glass, he did likewise, joining Vyse outside. The night air was cool, and the young Admiral was certain that his own thinking became a little less hazy after stepping out. That in itself was troubling, but he didn't have the time to consider why right then. 

"Nice out, isn't it?" Vyse commented, gazing up at the black sky. "The Red Moon's just past the new phase, so it won't bother us so much, and there aren't a lot of clouds out, either. C'mon, let's get up to the balcony." 

Ramirez nodded and followed the young rogue across the island onto the platform that carried them both up the mountainside to the balcony outside the meeting room. He didn't even notice that he was beginning to stumble, or that thinking had become harder; following Vyse didn't require thought. 

When they had reached the top, Vyse meandered closer to the door of the meeting room and leaned against the rocky mountainside, admiring the sea of stars. "Your favorite constellation's Wilwarin, right?" he queried, scanning the heavens. 

"...Yes." The fuzziness that the cool air had cleared was beginning to return. Along with it came a distinct sense of nameless dread. 

"I can see it right over there," Vyse said, pointing to a patch of the sky. Ramirez tried to focus on that area and failed. "Hey, just curious. What sort of constellation legends did you have back in your hometown? I'm just wondering if they're any different from the stories I grew up with." 

"Um..." the male Silvite began, trying to think of a good one. Try as he might, it seemed as if the parts of his mind that remembered those stories were closed off to him. "I...." 

Vyse regarded him curiously. "What's wrong?" 

Ramirez took a very unsteady step forward, his left hand resting on the railing. "I..." he began. It was too hard to concentrate now, and he felt as his insides were turning upside down... "...I don't feel so good..." 

And then he collapsed. 

Vyse blinked and stared at Ramirez's fallen form. "Hey..." He kneeled down next to the silver-haired young man and shook his shoulder. "Hey, Ramirez." 

It was another moment or so until Vyse realized that his companion had passed out. 

He stared in disbelief. "But..." he sputtered, "but you only had one drink!" 

Ramirez continued to lie there. 

"Hell...I've gotta get you to your room..." Vyse muttered, as if the Silvite swordsman could hear, much less answer. Hesitating for a few seconds, the young rogue tried to pick up Ramirez, and found that he was surprisingly light. Vyse wrapped an arm around Ramirez and began to carry him onto the platform. Vyse was grateful that all he had to do was push a button and they were on the way to the bottom; he didn't know if he could descend a ladder if he had to lug down Ramirez's dead weight, too. 

He carried Ramirez to the small room that had been designated for the young Admiral. Light, yeah, he was light, but he was rather awkward to carry for various reasons. So it was not without some relief that he deposited him on the bed. 

Ramirez had neither moved a muscle nor made a sound during the entire endeavor. The young captain stared down at him, then sighed, drew up a chair and sat down. 

/_It was only one drink,_/ Vyse puzzled. /_Why did he pass out like that so soon? Even if it was his first time, it shouldn't have affected him _that_ badly..._/ 

With a sigh, he got up, drew back the sheets from under Ramirez, then pulled them over his body, not bothering to undress him or even remove his boots first, and tucked him in. Too bad there weren't any blankets... He'd have to go get some, he mused. And a glass of water. Vyse supposed he owed it to Ramirez to stay and watch over him, since he'd been the one to talk him into drinking... 

Suddenly the full weight of what he'd done slammed into him. He'd pressured Ramirez into drinking when he didn't want to, and now he'd passed out and would likely have an extremely painful hangover in the morning! Guilt began to gnaw at him like starved rats at a piece of bread. 

"Oh, Moons..." Vyse moaned softly. "Moons, Ramirez, I'm sorry..." He shook his head, turned and exited the room. He headed back into the crew's area below, to quickly tell his friends what had happened. 

Of the three, Enrique was the only one sober enough to listen to what he had to say. The blue-eyed Prince was also perplexed as to why Ramirez had passed out so soon after so little. 

"Maybe his body has a low tolerance for loqua?" Enrique suggested. 

Vyse shrugged. "Well, whatever the reason, I owe it to him to make him feel more comfortable," he said, unable to shake the guilt he felt. "I'll see you later, okay, Enrique?" 

After a nod of understanding from the blond Prince, Vyse left the room once more. After that, he returned to the Delphinus to retrieve a warm blanket and a glass of water, and careful not to spill anything, Vyse took them back to Ramirez's room, where the Silvite Admiral still slept. Vyse set the glass of water on a small table near the head of the bed and draped the blanket over Ramirez's prone body. He sighed as he surveyed the room one more time; then he left. There wasn't anything else he could do until morning came around. Hoping Ramirez wouldn't hate him by the time he woke up, Vyse retreated to his own room and plopped onto his own bed, for which he'd already retrieved blankets earlier. Vyse wasn't in the mood much for partying anymore...and tomorrow was going to be a big day anyway. With a yawn, Vyse kicked off his boots, also not in the mood to change out of his normal clothes, and settled into his bed, promptly falling asleep.  
  
  
  
When Vyse awoke, stretching and feeling refreshed, he glanced out the window and was surprised to see that hints of dawn still lingered in the sky. It was unusual for him to get up that early; he figured it was because he'd gone to bed early as well. The blue-clad rogue stood and pulled on his boots, then left his room. He was startled to see Aika and Enrique waiting for him outside. 

The blue-eyed Prince smiled upon seeing him. "Good morning, Vyse," he greeted him. 

"What are you two doing up?" Vyse questioned, too surprised to be polite. 

Aika smiled a bit. "You know me. I've done worse than this before. Besides, I wanted to get a head start, though with one unconscious person and another sleeping like the dead, it's probably not going to happen, huh?" 

"Fina's still asleep?" Vyse queried. 

Enrique nodded. "Very soundly. I monitored her drinking, and I'm sure she didn't get more than half a glass, but I suppose her body isn't suited for loqua-drinking. That may be Ramirez's problem as well." 

Aika sniggered. "It's a Silvite thing, maybe?" 

Vyse shrugged. "That may be it. In any case, we can't go anywhere until they wake up." 

She continued to snicker. "Man, I'm never letting those two forget about this. Hey, Enrique, did you know Fina gave Cupil some loqua when you weren't looking?" 

Enrique looked at the red-headed pirate in surprise. "No, I didn't. Is he okay?" 

"He put on a heck of a show, but other than that, he doesn't seem any worse for the wear. He's currently a puddle at the foot of Fina's bed," she informed him, smirking. "Say, Vyse, you were with Ramirez; how much did he have?" 

"One glass, and Aika, I don't want you to bother him," the captain of the Delphinus warned his childhood friend. 

The orange-haired rogue pouted playfully. "Why shouldn't I?" 

"You know he doesn't like it," Vyse replied. "He's not the type to enjoy jokes." 

"He needs to lighten up," Aika laughed. "C'mon, a little teasing won't hurt him!" 

Vyse shook his head. "I really don't think it's a good idea. All the times I've made some sort of a joke, he only got angry." 

"Ramirez is a very serious person, Aika," the young Prince added. "My guess is that he will not want this incident to be mentioned. You don't want to make an enemy out of him, do you?" 

"Hmm..." The spunky pirate girl considered that. "I guess you've got a point." She grinned. "It's still pretty funny, though." 

Vyse rolled his eyes. "Not everyone can pack it away like _you_ do, Aika," he commented dryly. 

"It's a talent," she smiled. 

Vyse rolled his eyes again but grinned, too, in spite of himself. "You maniac. Anyway," and he started towards Ramirez's room, "I'm going to check up on Ramirez, keep an eye on him. I'm the one who talked him into drinking, after all, so I sort of feel responsible for what happened." 

The pigtailed girl shrugged. "Whatever you want to do." 

Vyse sweatdropped. "Thanks for your support, Aika..." 

Enrique laughed, shaking his head. "We'll be waiting for you downstairs, Vyse," he said with a smile as he turned to leave. 

"Yeah, see you two later," Vyse replied with a wave, the three of them parting ways.  
  
  
  
When Ramirez awoke, he felt disoriented, pained, and slightly nauseous. Unable to suppress a whimper, he thought unwillingly of the last time this had happened to him... 

"You awake, Rami?" Vyse's voice sounded then, and it tore through Ramirez's brain like an especially jagged piece of shrapnel. The Silvite Admiral moaned in reply. The cry of pain had confirmed Vyse's fears, and consequently made him feel even guiltier than he had previously. "I'm sorry..." he said softly, though he knew the change in volume wouldn't help. "Do you want something to drink?" 

Ramirez's head pounded—no, throbbed, like his heart would if he could feel it anymore. His mouth was amazingly dry. Water sounded like a good idea. He nodded once and stopped; the action made his body hurt. 

Vyse quietly handed him a glass, deciding that he should try to refrain from unnecessary talking. Ramirez took it and brought it to his lips, drinking thirstily; his throat felt like dust, and the water, though lukewarm, tasted so good... 

When he had drained the glass, he handed it back to Vyse and turned over. At least it was nice and dark and quiet...it made the pulse of his brain not quite as painful as it had been last time. 

Last time... That definitely made his head feel worse. Ramirez whimpered a little more and stopped; even that aggrieved him. 

Vyse looked the Silvite over and sighed internally. He decided he should just let him be for now. Muttering another silent apology, he stood, walked to the door and left, closing it quietly behind him.  
  
  
  
"Good morning, Vyse!" Fina said cheerfully to her brown-haired friend when he entered the lounge below the main crew's rooms as she helped Aika and Enrique clean up the remains of last night's party. 

"Hey, you're up already, Fina?" Vyse said, smiling as he joined the three. "Are you feeling okay?" 

"Yes. Why do you ask?" the female Silvite queried. 

He shrugged a bit. "I was just wondering," he replied. "Since Ramirez isn't doing so hot, I was kinda worried that you might be hung over, too." 

"Ramirez is _hung over_?" Aika crowed, laughing. "Are you serious, Vyse?!" 

"...Yeah," Vyse said, scratching the back of his head. "Don't tell me you're going to lord this over him..." 

"_Me_? Lord something petty like this over _him_? I wouldn't _dream_ of it," Aika replied, looking as if her birthday had come early. 

Vyse sighed. This would be one of those things he would have to deal with later. 

"...Aika, please don't tease Ramirez..." Fina begged her friend quietly. "I'm sure he won't like it..." 

"All right, I won't," she conceded. "Besides," she added with a grin in her childhood friend's direction, "it's not like Vyse did any better the first time _he_ drank." 

"Let's not talk about that," Vyse said hastily as Fina hid a smile behind her hand and Enrique stifled a chuckle.  
  
  
  
After disturbed slumber, Ramirez woke for the second time around noon, still feeling awful, but significantly less so than before. He sat up in bed, throwing back his covers, and noted that he was still fully dressed. With an internal sigh, the young Admiral slipped out of bed and walked over to the window, grateful for the cool breeze that swept over his sweaty face. He shouldn't have had that drink. But still, this outcome was arguably better than having to explain to Vyse _why_ he didn't like alcohol. He wanted to forget that part of his past. Besides, it wasn't as bad this time. At least it had been quiet... 

Ramirez suppressed a shudder and wiped the sweat from his face, turning to the door. Even comparing the events brought back too many odious memories. Clenching his teeth, he ignored the lingering remains of his headache and left his room. Glancing around cautiously and seeing no one around, he made his way downstairs and into the lounge, where the others were chatting casually. 

"Hey, Ramirez!" Vyse called, noticing the white-haired man almost immediately when he entered. "How are you feeling?" 

The Admiral winced both at the volume and the instant attention. Knowing that ignoring Vyse would do no good, he said in an emotionless voice, "Well enough." 

"We were just waiting for you to wake up," Vyse explained, "so if you're feeling better, we can set off." 

"I'll be fine after I get something to drink and eat," the male Silvite replied quietly. "Water and whatever was left over from last night is fine." 

Vyse nodded, then stood and walked off to procure the requested items. Ramirez claimed the young rogue's seat, feeling mildly annoyed due to Aika, Fina and Enrique all watching him. 

Fina, looking over at her old friend shyly, quietly said, "...I'm sorry about what happened..." 

"Why are you sorry?" Ramirez inquired, glancing at her. "You had nothing to do with it." 

"...I'm just..." she trailed off, not finishing the sentence. "...Never mind...." 

Ramirez regarded Fina curiously, confused. He normally would have written it off with a shrug, but with Aika and Enrique now pretending not to watch, and with Vyse probably listening in, it was probably best to feign concern. "What's the matter?" 

"...I... I...worry about you, so..." She was staring at her lap now, obviously embarrassed. 

Ramirez was then surprised as well as confused. Worry about him? Why in the world would she feel the need to worry about _him_? Now interested in learning the reason, he stated, "I don't understand. What do you mean?" 

Fortunately for Fina, Vyse chose that moment to return with food and drink, and sat down in an unoccupied seat. "Here." He handed a plate of Polly's cooking and a glass of ice water to Ramirez. 

"Thank you," the Silvite youth murmured, reaching for them. 

Vyse blinked at the sudden politeness from the normally antagonistic man, but decided not to bring it up. Instead, he simply replied, "You're welcome."  
  
  
  
As they were boarding the Delphinus again, Vyse glanced over at his silver-haired companion. Ramirez was still somewhat pale, but that was normal for him, and it seemed his hangover had passed. Still, Vyse felt responsible about the entire ordeal. Approaching Ramirez and placing a hand on one of his shoulders, he voiced his guilt. 

"Hey," he began, "I'm sorry. About the whole thing, I mean." 

Ramirez stared at Vyse's hand for a second, then looked away, red creeping into his cheeks. "Forget about it," he muttered. "I shouldn't have let you talk me into it." 

Vyse sighed. "Yeah, I know... Like I said, I'm really sorry about it." 

The jade-eyed swordsman shook his head. "If I accept your apology, will you stop being so repentant?" 

Vyse blinked. It was a strange thing to hear from him, of all people. "Ah...sure," he said. 

"You're forgiven, then," Ramirez declared curtly. "Just stop apologizing." 

Vyse sweated at this and removed his hand from Ramirez's shoulder. "Thanks," he smiled at the shorter man before continuing on towards the control room. 

The jade-eyed man gazed after the handsome pirate, his heart thumping, and sighed internally. Receiving apologies made him uncomfortable under normal circumstances, and when it was Vyse doing it... That just made it that much more awkward. Hating and being hated made things much more clear-cut; the kindness surrounding him now distorted his perception of the world at a time when he could not afford to be swayed. Lord Galcian was beginning to set into motion his plans for world domination, and Ramirez was supposed to be by his side—yet now his own feelings had betrayed him... 

Ramirez hoped dearly it was not a prophecy of the future.  


* * *

**  
NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal Arcadia_ [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong. 

**Ayu:** There is a reason for Ramirez's aversion to loqua, which ties in with the extended past that I-chan and I cooked up especially for him, which in turn ties in with the information about his past that we're given in _Legends_. You as the readers will not find out that reason for a long time, though. SUFFER. 

"_The male Silvite merely nodded. He noticed that, oddly enough, his face felt warm, but he didn't think that he was that embarrassed._"   
**Ianthe:** No, Rami. You're starting to get drunk. 

**Ianthe:** Yes, you can conceivably get drunk after one drink. Happened to me with even less than that.   
**Ayu:** Which is why I do not drink, period.   
**Ianthe:** Unless my family slips me one in my drink, I probably won't again. ^^;; 

**Ianthe:** If you can detect upcoming plot complications, you win....absolutely nothing. 

**Ayu:** The title of this chapter is a line from _Akihabara Dennou Gumi_'s ending theme, _Taiyou no Hana_ (_Sunflower_), by Okui Msasami. Full lyrics can be found at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!_, the link to which you can find below. 

**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com   
**Contact Ianthe of d.I:** ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))   
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net))


	10. Chapter 10: Aisuru Koto no Imi sae Mada ...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  
**Chapter 10:** Ai-suru Koto no Imi sae Mada Shiranu mama  
(_Still Not Knowing Even the Reason for Loving As It Is_)

  
  
  


Vyse peeked at Ramirez out of the corner of his eye. The young Silvite man was cool and stand-offish as usual, but there was something wrong today; Vyse could sense it. He seemed more...quiet, and withdrawn. Ruefully, the Blue Rogue acknowledged that Ramirez was always like that, too, but... Usually, his introversion had an aggressive 'don't touch me or I'll stab you' feel to it. Today, it was more demure; more like the message being sent was 'don't hurt me'. Had that incident at the party affected him so much? He had seemed much quieter the last few days, but Vyse had just brushed it off as Ramirez being himself. But as he looked over at him now... There was no doubt about it. Vyse approached the young man and placed a hand on Ramirez's shoulder. 

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked as he did so. 

Ramirez flinched and slapped Vyse's hand away, turning to face him as if being attacked. When Vyse stared at him, surprised and a little hurt, the Silvite swordsman blinked and flushed, looking away. "Oh, it's only you," he muttered. 

"Who did you think it was going to be?" Vyse asked, furrowing his eyebrows. Ramirez's semi-violent reaction meant he had been caught off-guard...and that seemed very unusual, just as Vyse had thought. 

Ramirez shook his head. "Nothing. I'm sorry. You just...startled me." 

"That's not like you," Vyse stated quietly. "What's wrong?" 

The snowy-haired swordsman turned his back to him. "Shouldn't you be flying the ship?" he queried, obviously attempting to dodge the question. 

Vyse saw clearly through it, though. "That's what I hired a helmsman for 10,000 gold for," he replied. "What's wrong?" 

Ramirez glanced over his shoulder at Vyse with a glare and a blush. "Do you have to be so persistent?" 

The brunet rogue made a face. "Do you have to be so antisocial?" he countered, crossing his arms. "I'm just worried about you." 

The young Admiral averted his gaze. "Why?" 

Vyse sighed at Ramirez's attempt to once again deflect the conversation. "Because I care about you. Is that a good enough reason?" he said before asking once again, "So, what's wrong?" 

The Silvite gazed slowly and silently up at the Blue Rogue before him. /_'I care about you...'_/ he repeated to himself before lowering his eyes. "It's...sort of personal." 

The scarf-wearing Air Pirate rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Well, I don't want to pry into your private life, but if you do want to talk about it...." He trailed off, looking at the shorter man for a response. 

The Admiral looked at him again. "....." The edges of his lips quirked upwards in an almost-smile, and he shook his head. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, Vyse," he said, "but..." He clenched his teeth slightly. There was no way he could tell Vyse the reason for his melancholy... 

Vyse shrugged slightly. "Well, that's all right. If you ever want to talk about it, though, I'm willing to listen. Just try to cheer up a little, okay? It's not like even you to be like this." 

"I know." The young swordsman glowered at the floor. "It's not as if I _want_ to feel this way." 

Vyse smiled and patted Ramirez on the back. "That's the spirit," he said, trying to encourage him. "Just keep thinking like that, and you'll be back to normal in no time." 

Ramirez flinched. 

Vyse blinked at the young swordsman's reaction. "...Did I say something wrong?" he asked. 

The silver-haired Admiral looked away and downwards, so that his bangs covered his eyes. "...No." /_You said something _terrible_._/ "It's nothing." /_...that you would approve of._/ 

"....All right." Gazing at Ramirez for a moment, Vyse turned, and headed off to the bridge, to check on the distance they had yet to go to the Lands of Ice. 

Ramirez shut his eyes tightly to keep from watching the Blue Rogue leave and to recompose himself; it wouldn't do at all if anyone else started noticing his gloom. Being in love with Vyse was awful; _everyone_, it seemed, was starting to be able to tell that something was wrong. His frozen façade was starting to crack and melt, and that was something he'd created to protect himself from those who would deliberately wound him. If it broke off now like pieces of an iceberg, who knew how badly he would be hurt?  
  
  
  
As the Delphinus descended through the floes of ice, its reinforced hull crushing the glacial layers, Fina fretted inside. It had been nearly eight years since Ramirez had first descended to Arcadia; back then, he had been such a sweet, caring boy, who always put her wellbeing before his own, even if sometimes he was sort of distant and sad. The two had been inseparable in their youth—although, then again, there hadn't been any other children at all. But even so, they had been happy together, the two of them and Cupil and Hahaue. But when Ramirez and she had been reunited in Valua not that long ago, he had been completely different; instead of being kind and gentle, he had been cold, heartless, unfeeling. 

/What had happened to him to change him so much... But now,/ she thought with a faint, worried smile, /it seems he's returning little by little to the old Ramirez. Although it's subtle, I've known him better than anyone, and I could see vast differences between Ramirez when he first joined the crew and Ramirez now. He even apologized for his rude behavior! Certainly, he's still cool and aloof, but he's still much better than he used to be. _Vyse is such a good influence on him..._/ she added to her musings a bit sadly. /_Still, I wish he would open up to _me_ a little more. _I'm_ his old friend, after all..._/ 

Although she hated to admit it, she was rather jealous of Ramirez's growing relationship with Vyse. It was true that they spent the most time together, since they shared the same room while on the ship, but didn't her childhood with him mean anything? Even if Ramirez was still hostile sometimes to Vyse, it was no longer as bad as Esperanza or even Yafutoma. She could see it, or so she thought; Vyse's attempts to befriend Ramirez, although he had been discouraged for a time, were getting through to him. But if the two of them became friends, what would she mean to him? What would she mean to Vyse? 

Fina flushed slightly. Although she dared not admit it to him, either now or then, the young Silvite lady had had a deep crush on Ramirez. They were close in age, and he treated her well, and it was only the two of them; how could she _not_ fall for him? But it was the Ramirez from back then that she loved. The hostile Ramirez who had spent seven years in Valua was a stranger to her... That's why she had begun to fall for Vyse—she had seen parts of Ramirez from back then in him, especially when contrasted to the new Ramirez, and especially when Vyse had gone out of his way to save her as well as his father and the other Air Pirates, even though he had no reason to do so. Nowadays, though, Fina was beginning to see a return of Ramirez's old self, and her original feelings were reviving. So now that Ramirez and Vyse were becoming friendlier with each other, little by little, she didn't know what to do about her feelings for them both... 

A light tap on Fina's shoulder caused her to jump in fright. Turning around quickly, she saw Aika staring at her quizzically. 

"Oh, Aika!" she breathed, relieved. "You startled me!" 

"Sorry about that," Aika replied, still observing the young Silvite lady. "Fina, are you okay? You seem a little pale." 

"Oh! Yes..." Fina murmured, lowering her mint green eyes. She was silent for a moment longer, and when Aika didn't leave, she continued, "Actually, Aika?" 

Aika smiled, as if she had been waiting for that the entire time. "Yeah?" 

Fina hesitated for a few seconds, then, lowering her voice slightly, she continued, "Aika, I know we're about to enter Glacia, but once we've retrieved the Purple Crystal, could I talk to you about something?" 

The orange-haired piratess nodded. "Anytime you wanna talk, Fina, I'll be here for you," she smiled. "That's what friends are for, after all!" 

The delicate Silvite smiled gratefully in return. "Thank you."  
  
  
  
The trek into Glacia was slightly convoluted, with some perilous downward slides and a generous heap of monsters, but other than that, it wasn't difficult or particularly dangerous. 

Ramirez felt uneasy. Oh, it wasn't as if the way hadn't been completely unblocked, but the three trials, if they really could be called that, were amazingly easy multiple-choice questions; anyone with any knowledge of the Purple Moon could solve them with no problems. The Purple Civilization was supposedly populated with geniuses; why would they make the path in so easy? The obvious answer, he mused, was that it was a trap—perhaps this was a fake entrance, and the real entrance was hidden somewhere where only the Purplites knew. This area could lead to a simple dead end; getting in would be easy, getting out would be tremendously difficult. Ramirez could imagine several ways to make that possible, some of them quite unpleasant. But still, a dead end wouldn't be enough; what if an army invaded? Just a dead end wouldn't be enough to hold them all off; there had to be something more... 

He followed Vyse and the others as they walked through yet another doorway into a thick bank of fog. Ramirez was mildly worried at the fact that he could barely see a foot in front of him. 

It was with that thought that Ramirez realized that they were all in serious danger. 

"Vyse, WAIT!!" he yelled, shoving Fina out of the way to run up to Vyse and grab his shoulder, pulling him back before he could disappear completely into the fog. Vyse took a step back to maintain his balance, the smaller man's pull almost causing him to fall, and then stared back at the male Silvite. 

"Ramirez, what the hell was that about?" he asked in a tone that suggested an answer best be forthcoming. Around them, the heavy fog began to clear. 

The young swordsman took a breath, annoyed at Vyse's words. "Vyse," he began. "Don't you think getting in here was a little too easy?" 

"A bit, I guess," Vyse replied, still not sounding appeased. "Why?" 

Ramirez scowled. "Vyse, you are aware that we are underneath a glacier, correct?" 

"...Yeah. And?" the Blue Rogue replied, not entirely sure what Ramirez was getting at. 

The pale swordsman sighed and shook his head. Was Vyse really this much of an idiot? "I was thinking before we got this far," he said, frowning as Fina, Aika and Enrique surrounded the two. "If the Purplites were so intelligent, why would they make the entry so easy? The answer was that it was either a dead-end or a trap. Now consider this: we are inside. Inside a glacier, yes, but inside. So why would there be fog as dense as what you just unwittingly walked into?" The fog of which he spoke had cleared by now, so Ramirez merely pointed downwards in the direction in which Vyse had walked. "Look." 

Vyse looked. 

And jumped back. "Holy _crap_," he breathed. Looking down again, he realized just how close he had come to a fall. Normally he didn't dwell on things, he just charged right ahead—but this was really too close for comfort. Staring at the drop into Deep Sky for a moment longer, Vyse straightened and then turned his gaze to Ramirez, who was scowling slightly, obviously expecting an apology. 

"You saved my life," the young captain said incredulously. 

Ramirez's reaction was slight in movement but still profound: both eyebrows went up, his expression smoothed out, his eyes widened, his back straightened. After a moment of consideration, he replied, "So I did." 

"_Thank you_," Vyse said fervently. 

The reaction, again, was minor but intense. All very slightly, Ramirez's expression clouded, his eyebrows lowered, his eyes narrowed, and the corners of his lips turned down. "Don't," he said in a clipped tone before turning his back to the brunet pirate. 

"Why shouldn't I?" Vyse queried, amazed. "If it hadn't been for you, I'd still be falling!" 

"Somehow I doubt that," Ramirez replied. "Knowing you, you would have grabbed onto the edge at the last second." 

Vyse sweatdropped. "I'm pretty lucky, but I'm not _that_ lucky. Geez." 

"Leave him alone, Vyse," Aika spoke up then, sounding amused. "He's just _embarrassed_ 'cause he saved your life after swearing he'd kill you." 

Ramirez glared over his shoulder at her. "It would be remarkably unsatisfying to let Vyse's own stupidity finish him off after I suffered a defeat at his hands," he snapped. 

"So you really _don't_ think he would have grabbed onto the ledge!" the orange-haired rogue grinned. 

The white-haired swordsman rolled his eyes. "We should get going," he suggested coldly. 

"Right, right," Aika cheered, a musical tone in her voice. Exchanging not-so-subtle grins with Vyse, Enrique and Fina, they and Ramirez began the trek down the icy path to the mysteriously abandoned capital of the Purple Civilization. 

The city, although majestic and brilliant, was eerie in its emptiness and continuing functionality. Although there was not a soul whatsoever to be found anywhere, all the mechanisms—floating, constantly moving discs that traveled from place to place, carrying travelers across the city—kept on working, showing no sign of failure even now, hundreds of years after the initial disappearance of the Purplites. Each member of Vyse's party wondered and speculated about what had happened to the ancient civilization, but aside from a giant carving on the side of one of the buildings, there were no clues whatsoever. Enrique had been the first to notice it and point it out, and Vyse had asked Fina and Ramirez if they could read it, but Fina merely shook her head, and Ramirez pointed out that they were Silvites, not Purplites, and therefore would not know the language. Aika speculated that it might have had something to do with the absence of the Purplites, but Enrique pointed out that it could be anything, from a threat to a warding spell to an advertisement to mere graffiti; they had no way of knowing. Accepting that, the five moved on, navigating the twisted pathways and fighting off the monsters thriving in the city of ice. It was tough, but even the giant monster that appeared at the end of one pathway was no match for their combined strength, and when they continued on past it, they found themselves in a giant, misty cave. This time, they hesitated, wisely remembering what awaited them the last time they entered a foggy room, but out from the haze appeared none other than Drachma, the aged captain of the Little Jack, the ship on which Aika, Fina and Vyse had traveled for a time. 

Aika greeted him joyously, flinging herself around his neck, and Vyse and Fina also hailed him enthusiastically, although not to Aika's extreme. The gruff air captain greeted them in his normal way, virtually ignoring Enrique and Ramirez, who both hung back in the background, even when the fog cleared enough to reveal the gigantic purple arcwhale, Rhaknam—or rather, the Purple Gigas, Plergoth, slowly dying, the remnants of the Little Jack still attached to it via the Harpoon Cannon. Ramirez and Enrique, having never met the brusque man of the air before, did not comment on his story of staying with the massive Gigas even since it had returned here, despite Drachma's grievances with the pitiable creature. Apparently, Plergoth/Rhaknam had at one time been a normal arcwhale, but the Purplites turned it into the Purple Gigas by placing the Purple Crystal, now flickering at the top of its body, into it. Unlike the other lunar civilizations, they had not _built_ their Gigas, they had used the power of their Crystal to mutate an already existing creature into one. Ramirez marveled quietly at the sort of genius it would have taken to not only come up with that idea but to make it work; then again, he mused, maybe it was because they _couldn't_ make it work entirely—in other words, relinquishing anyone's control over the Gigas by sacrificing possession of the Purple Crystal to create it—that there were no more Purplites. It was an interesting idea, but Ramirez certainly wasn't going to start discussing it with Enrique, especially since Drachma had very clearly expressed his loathing for the Admiral who had nearly wrecked his ship and stolen his chance at killing Rhaknam himself. 

Before long, Plergoth died, dropping the Purple Crystal to the floor and leaving it for Vyse to retrieve. After many trials and tribulations, the group managed to take the Little Jack out of the cave and to the outside, near the Delphinus. Drachma refused to join the crew, saying that he needed time to reconsider his purpose in life now that Rhaknam was dead, and without ever even learning Enrique or Ramirez's names (although he did stare suspiciously for an uncomfortably long amount of time at the latter before deciding to ignore him after all), he left. Vyse had let him go, understanding his need for privacy for reevaluating his existence, although the farewells were not without shades of sadness. Still, they had acquired the Purple Moon Crystal, and it had been much easier than the acquisition of the Blue Moon Crystal, so they were not down for long, boarding the Delphinus and setting off again into the endlessly spreading blue sky. 

Vyse, Enrique, Aika, Fina and Ramirez had a brief meeting in the control room to discuss what to do next: go straight to Crescent Isle, or to stop somewhere on the way first to replenish fuel and supplies. Although the first had its merits, and it meant spending less wasting of time, all agreed that since fuel was nearing the halfway mark, it was better to make a pit stop to avoid running out on the way back and suffer an even greater waste of time. That decision, of course, lead naturally to wondering where they should go. 

"Say, why don't we head north to Pirate's Isle and say hi to your mom and dad, Vyse?" Aika suggested, clapping her hands together. With a grin, she continued, "You can show off what you've done so far to Cap'n Dyne!" 

"Oh, that would be wonderful!" Fina beamed. "We could see everyone again and see how the rebuilding of the island is coming along! We could even help out!" 

Vyse considered the suggestion seriously, but he couldn't stop a smile from spreading across his face at the prospect of bragging to his father on how far he'd come in such a short amount of time. He was about to accept the suggestion when Enrique spoke up. 

"Pardon me, but isn't that your father's base, Vyse?" he queried. 

"Yeah, so?" 

"It was attacked and ravaged by Galcian, correct?" 

"Yeah, so?" 

"Wouldn't they be using supplies and such for their own island? How could they give _us_ anything when they have to use everything they have for themselves?" 

"..." Vyse wittily replied. "Point taken. Let's go to Sailor's Island." 

"Aww, but it would such a shame to skip on visiting Cap'n Dyne and everyone else! It's right on the way if we go straight north!" Aika protested. "And c'mon, you haven't seen your family in forever, Vyse! We've still got half a tank and we've got four of the six Crystals, we can afford to make a quick overnight visit or something! Enrique, you want to go see too, right? I mean, there's an island platform floating a little overhead, and the sunset is just _beautiful_ from there, and the stargazing is _awesome_! I know you'd love to see it!" 

Enrique sweatdropped at the scarecrow-haired rogue's wheedling, but smiled regardless. "That sounds very nice," he said diplomatically, "but shouldn't the mission come first?" 

Aika pouted. "Well, what do _you_ say, Vyse?" she inquired her childhood friend, shifting the focus of her attention. 

Ramirez frowned at the pirate girl. "Aren't you going to ask _me_ what _I_ think?" he questioned her, annoyed. 

"Don't be so self-centered," Aika promptly replied, to which Ramirez scowled. "C'mon, Vyse, what do you say?" 

"What _do_ you think, Ramirez?" Vyse questioned, causing his childhood friend to sweatdrop and glare. 

The young Silvite swordsman almost smiled briefly, gratified by at least Vyse's concern in his opinion, but it was gone before it ever appeared. "I would like to avoid being lynched by an angry mob," he replied. 

Vyse stared. "What?" 

"I was Lord Galcian's vice captain when he attacked your father's island," Ramirez explained. "Your father and his crew would not be pleased to see me again." 

"...Erm." Vyse considered this. "I could talk to my dad about it. You aren't an enemy anymore, after all." 

Ramirez was silent, his expression stony. "Do as you please." 

The young pirate frowned. "Don't act like that," he scolded the shorter man. "I'm not about to let you get hurt while you're a part of my crew!" 

The Silvite blinked once, but other than that, his expression did not change, and he did not volunteer a reply. 

There was a moment of silence, then Vyse sighed and turned to the others. "We've got time to get the rest of the Crystals," he stated. "The Armada can't break the seal binding the Yellow Gigas, which has the Yellow Crystal, and the Silver Crystal is just out of their reach completely, right?" 

Fina nodded, saying, "Yes, it's on the Great Silver Shrine." 

Ramirez flicked his eyes briefly over to his old friend, choosing to remain silent rather than comment. 

"That okay then, Enrique?" Vyse grinned at his blond-haired friend. 

The young Prince smiled in return, nodding. "You do have a valid point, and family is very important," he replied. "We _do_ have some time, and there is undoubtedly something we can do for your former crewmates, still having a great deal of money, fuel and supplies. We could donate some before stocking up again at Sailor's Island and heading back to Crescent Isle." 

"Great, then it's decided!" Vyse announced. "All hands, set sail for Pirate's Isle!" 

"Aye-aye, captain!" all but Ramirez shouted in unison. That one simply said, "...Yes, sir," and did as he was told regardless. 

All throughout the ship, the members of the Delphinus' crew prepared its flight, and once the Delphinus had set sail into the freezing sky, leaving the crew to relax slightly, Fina glanced over at Aika. Catching her eye, the pale-haired young lady nodded and went to leave. As Aika followed her, Vyse turned from his sailing to his childhood friend. 

"Hey, where are you two going?" he inquired, curious. 

Aika grinned and held up a hand. "Don't you worry!" she replied. "It's just been a long day, and we girls have to freshen up when we can. We won't be long, so relax and focus on not crashing into any giant floating rocks." 

Vyse made a face, but turned back to his navigation regardless. "Be back soon, okay?" 

"No problem!" the redhead cheered, leaving with Fina. "See you!" 

The two of them, after leaving the boys behind, chatted idly while they walked up to the Silvite girl's room. They weren't interrupted on the way there, and when they were in private, Aika leaned back against the shut door. 

"So, what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?" she asked, folding her arms behind her head. 

"Um..." Fina glanced away, blushing slightly. "Actually, there's something I want to confess..." 

Aika blinked twice. "...Eh?" 

"I'm sort of embarrassed to admit it, but..." Fina continued, holding a hand to her chin. "But I really, really need your advice, Aika..." 

The carrot-topped Blue Rogue visibly relaxed. "Oh, okay. Wait, hold on," she said quickly, "let me guess: hmmm... You have a crush on Vyse!" 

"Huh?" Fina uttered, blushing crimson. "I, uh, well, I, um—" 

Laughing, Aika shrugged. "It's okay, I understand how you feel completely. But you know..." She smiled wistfully. "That makes us rivals." 

"Ah, no, no, no, no!" the verdure-eyed girl said quickly. "I like Vyse, but I'm in love with Ramirez! You misunderstand me, Aika!" 

The pirate girl froze, apparently not expecting that. "Eh?" she said, sweating a bit. "_Ramirez_?" 

Still blushing, Fina nodded shyly. "I've had a crush on him ever since we were young," she admitted. "He's always been kind to me..." 

Making a small noise, Aika uncrossed her arms from behind her neck and re-crossed them in front of her chest. "He's not all that kind now," she pointed out. "Although, I have to admit, I never expected him to save Vyse's life like that. I guess I could see where you're coming from. He might have his good points," she mused. 

Fina sweatdropped. /_Might have..._/ she mentally repeated before saying, "I know you don't like Ramirez, Aika, but you don't know him like I do." Her expression growing fonder, she continued, "He really is getting much better, much more open with us..." 

"Hmmm..." Aika murmured, regarding her friend. "So what do you need my advice for?" 

"Well..." Fina hesitated briefly, then continued, "Even if he _is_ getting better...there's still a lot of things that he's bitter about... I'm sure lots of awful things happened to him during the past eight years, and I want to ask him about it and help him, but I'm sure he'll tell me it's not my business, or that he doesn't want to talk about it..." 

"There's no helping that," Aika said. "He needs time to get over himself. Plus, the things that happened to him might be too personal to talk about, even to you. He could be embarrassed or ashamed of whatever happened, or maybe it's too painful for him to say. Then again, maybe he's just being an uncommunicative bastard, but since you like him enough to say you love him even after he mistreats you, and he _did_ save Vyse back in Glacia without thinking twice about it, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt." She grinned at Fina's exasperated expression. "Yeah, generous of me, huh?" Aika laughed and added, "I'm kidding, of course. But I think the best thing you can do is just stay with him and stay understanding. When he's ready to talk to you, he will. Of course, he might need a hint or two to let him know that you're willing to hear him out, so don't be afraid to give him a few signals now and then. Plus," she continued almost as an afterthought, "guys are hopelessly dumb. They always have to be so macho, and they think they can't accept help from a woman or they'll be less manly or something similarly stupid. Either that, or they just don't get it, and no matter how many hints you try to drop, they won't figure it out until you smack them upside the head. This is called TMS—Typical Male Syndrome. One or both versions strike all men, which makes life for us women a lot tougher, unfortunately." 

"You sound as if you're speaking from experience," Fina noted. 

Aika laughed nervously. "Well... You know Vyse. He's a wonderful guy, and I trust him with my life, but...Moons, he's just so dense sometimes." Shaking her head, she wistfully said, "We've been together since childhood and he _still_ hasn't figured out how I feel..." 

Fina smiled gently. "TMS is tragic, isn't it?" she said playfully. 

Aika laughed. "You got that right!" she replied, shaking her head. "Honestly, men... They're all hopeless. Hey!" The woman rogue's brown eyes lit up as she took hold of a brilliant idea. "Why don't we help each other, Fina? I'll help you out with Ramirez, and you help me out with Vyse. It'll be a lot easier to get them to clue in if we're working together!" 

"But how?" Fina inquired, blinking. "It sounds good, but..." 

"Let's see..." Aika pondered the problem briefly. "The next time you talk with Vyse alone, why don't you hint that you aren't romantically interested in him?" 

"I sort of am, though," Fina confessed then. Hastily, seeing Aika's stare, she added, "It's only because he reminds me of the way Ramirez used to be, though! I understand that you love him, and I won't get in your way, Aika. It would be unfair of me to try to take him from you." 

"Okay," Aika said, somewhat doubtfully. "Well, that's okay. You've got Ramirez, so it works out." She mused for another moment before continuing, "On second thought, just hinting won't work on Vyse. He might like you, after all, so you'll have to tell him straight-out that your heart's set on Ramirez. Knowing him, he'll try to help you get together with Ramirez after that, since he's trying to look out for that guy, too. Then you can suggest that even if you're not interested in him, Vyse could find that romance is closer than he expects, or something like that. If he needs it, you can say something stronger, although I'd appreciate it if you stopped short of 'Vyse, you dummy, Aika's in love with you!'. That would be super-embarrassing." 

Fina winced and nodded, thinking of how mortified she would be if someone told Ramirez straight how _she_ felt. "And then you tell Vyse how you feel after that, right?" 

Aika blushed. "Err..." she stammered. "I...dunno if I could just _tell_ Vyse how I felt... You understand, right, Fina? But then again, with guys, you _have_ to tell it to them straight..." She sighed. "Well, that won't be for a long time anyway, so let's worry about that later. In the meantime, I'll help you with tips on approaching Ramirez. Remember to tell me about how it went afterwards, how he reacted and such, and exactly what you did; that guy's unpredictable, so if one method doesn't work, we'll have to work on a different one." 

Fina nodded, eagerly awaiting her friend's advice, and the two young women continued to plot that way against their male counterparts, hoping that soon they would see the light and fall for the girls who were standing right in front of their eyes. It didn't take extremely long, but when they finally finished and returned to the control room, Vyse was somewhat annoyed with them for taking so long. However, he didn't press it, thankfully enough, and Aika and Fina merely took up their positions again, smiling clandestinely to each other. After that, the Delphinus' trip was relatively short, only a couple of hours, and when they arrived, almost the entire island was waiting for them. It wasn't surprising, seeing as the Delphinus was hard to miss, but Vyse was filled with such giddy excitement that he relinquished the wheel to Lawrence the helmsman and ran to the shuttle deck so he could quickly arrange transportation to his hometown. With a yell that was half a laugh, Aika ran after him, and Fina quickly followed suit. Enrique caught Ramirez's eye, then smiled and shrugged before going after them. 

"You're all idiots," Ramirez muttered, not moving an inch. 

Vyse and company took a small shuttle from the Delphinus, which merely floated nearby, to the docking island leading to Pirate's Isle, and Vyse jumped overboard onto Pirate's Island as soon as they were moving slowly enough for him not to end up hitting something. Aika again followed suit, but Fina and Enrique nervously waited for the shuttle to come to a complete stop before making a calm exit. When they joined up with Vyse and Aika, the two were already being greeted by a crowd of people, Vyse's mother and father included. 

"It followed me home, Dad; can I keep it?" they heard their captain ask before the crowd erupted into laughter. Vyse's father, Dyne, just shook his head, but he was smiling as well. 

"Only if you feed it more often than you did your first pet," he replied. "Died after the first week, didn't it? The poor goldfish." 

This time, Fina and Enrique joined into the laughter along with Aika and even Vyse, and the crowd proceeded to embrace the latter two, congratulating them on their achievements and adventures, tales of which had reached even to their small island. After the uproar had settled down a little, the crowd took notice of Fina and Enrique, who had wormed their way through to join Vyse and Aika. 

"Good to see you again, Fina," Dyne said, nodding to the pale-haired young lady, who smiled shyly and nodded in return. He looked then at Enrique. "And you're...?" 

"This is Enrique, Dad, everyone," Vyse introduced him. "The Prince of Valua." 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," Enrique said politely, bowing slightly. 

Dyne was duly impressed. "I'd heard the rumor that you'd kidnapped the Empress' son, but I wasn't entirely sure it was true until now," he addressed his son. "Hell of a feat, Vyse." 

Vyse grinned. "Technically, I didn't kidnap him," he informed his father. 

"That's right," Enrique added. "I joined Vyse of my own free will, and lent him my ship, the Delphinus, which you see behind us." 

The middle-aged Blue Rogue laughed. "I'd heard that rumor, too," he commented. "Well? What are you all here for?" 

"Aww, Cap'n Dyne, you're being mean!" Aika grinned. "Can't we visit once in a while?" 

Vyse laughed and added, "We just came to say 'hi' and see if we could help out." 

"And show off how you're captain of the world's most powerful airship," Dyne added perceptively. 

His son grinned widely but didn't comment on that. "Dad, actually," Vyse added, growing more serious, "could I talk to you in private soon?" 

"Sure," his father replied amiably, but something in Dyne's face hinted that if Vyse hadn't made that suggestion, he would have. "I'll meet you back at home in thirty minutes." 

Vyse nodded and turned to the children of the island who now demanded his attention by clinging to his legs and insisting he play with them immediately. With a laugh, he agreed, and followed by Aika, Fina and Enrique, Vyse moved through the crowd which was now dissipating with the kids. 

Dyne and his wife, Vasa, watched them go before heading back to their domicile. "He's certainly grown up, hasn't he, dear?" the latter commented. 

"He has, in some respects," Dyne replied. "But in others, he's still a kid." 

Vasa smiled fondly. "Still don't want to accept that Vyse is becoming an adult, whether you like it or not?" 

"Now you're being rude," the middle-aged rogue said with a smile. "Vyse _is_ still young, and he's done amazing things already, breaking in and out of the Grand Fortress, _twice_. He's also the first to ever openly oppose the Armada...and he's succeeding. He's already defeated several Admirals, according to the rumors...then again, according to one rumor, he also captured one of the Admirals, which is obviously not true." 

Vasa laughed. "Still, only seventeen and your son's already done better than you ever have, dear!" 

Dyne frowned as the two entered their house. "He might have outdone me already, but he's still lacking in experience. You can see it, right, Vasa? He's still as brash and hotheaded as he used to be." 

"As you used to be, too," his wife reminded him with a grin. "Or have you forgotten how we met already, dear?" 

Vyse's father's frown deepened into a scowl, but the emotion didn't carry over to his eyes, which sparkled. "Do you have any intention of agreeing with me at all about this, Vasa?" he questioned her, not quite able to keep the amusement from his voice. 

The two of them sat at the table together, and Vasa replied, "Oh, not at all; Vyse _is_ the same, just as rash and impatient as always, just with some more experience that unfortunately has only bolstered his ego and further convinced him that he's invincible, just like every other teenager before some sort of tragedy strikes. But, you know, that's part of his charm. I think—no, I _know_ Vyse will be all right. People naturally like him and are drawn to him, and he likes people back. He'll do anything to protect the people he cares about; just consider the lengths he went to rescue you and the other men, Dyne." 

Dyne silently acknowledged this as his wife continued, "He'll be fine because just as he protects others, others will protect him. Vyse has Aika, and now Fina and Prince Enrique, and I'm sure there are many others. I'm certain they'll always look out for each other—and that is Vyse's strength." 

"You're right, Vasa," Dyne acceded. "Even though he can be dense, overly stubborn, sort of naïve and sometimes foolish, he does have his friends, along with an undefeatable attitude. That's the best strength any man or woman can have."  
  
  
  
As Ramirez waited inside the control room, at a silent agreement with the dark helmsman not to strike up a useless conversation, he stared out the windows toward the northeast, in the general direction of Valua. 

/_It has been over two weeks since I gave that message to Belleza..._/ he mused, thinking back to the night in Yafutoma when he had told Belleza to carry on his plans of betraying Vyse to Lord Galcian. /_Perhaps I shouldn't have trusted her. She could have told him anything to make herself look good; of course, Lord Galcian wouldn't believe her, but even so, he still wouldn't know my strategy and how to act accordingly. Depending on how things go on both ends, that could have potentially disastrous results..._/ 

As he mused, Ramirez became aware of a semi-large black-&-white bird that was steadily approaching the Delphinus. At first, he didn't pay it any heed, but as it drew closer, he noticed that it was flying towards _him_ in particular, and that it had something attached to its right leg. 

At that moment, the young Admiral realized what it was—what it _had_ to be—and casually looked at and walked towards the exit. If his actions seemed stilted, there was a chance that the helmsman, whose name Ramirez had not bothered to remember, might suspect that something was amiss. Although it was unlikely that he would do or say anything about it, since he was the disgusting type that cared for money and nothing else, there was still a possibility which Ramirez didn't care to take; there was too much at risk to be that arrogant. So, the jade-eyed Silvite left as if to merely change scenery, quietly shutting the door behind him when he went. He nonchalantly walked to the quarters he shared with Vyse, retrieved a pen and a scrap of paper just in case, and made his way to the deck, where that young Valuan boy was thankfully not present for once—he probably had snuck onto the island to meet Vyse's family and former companions. For reasons Ramirez did not know or care about, the child seemed to greatly respect Vyse, which was understandable, all considering; the Air Pirate had impressed even _him_, after all. That respect also worked out well for Ramirez now, so he had no complaints. 

The bird, which Ramirez knew to be a monochrome cormorant, native to Valua and several islands under the influence of the Silver Moon, was resting on the Delphinus' guardrail, cleaning its wing. As he calmly approached it, it looked up at him, its beady eyes bright. Like a good messenger bird, it stood still when he reached it and took the piece of paper attached to his leg, and again like a good messenger bird, it remained to wait for the return message that Ramirez was to write. 

Smiling slightly, the silver-haired swordsman unrolled the small piece of paper and perused it. The message was written in military shorthand, an abbreviated form of written language adopted for the Valuan armies and navies to convey important messages in as short a space as possible—and to keep those messages secret from any spies intercepting them. Ramirez could tell immediately that the message was from Galcian from the carefully drawn insignia in the lower right corner, a special symbol known only to his closest followers. The message was clear; although nothing, least of all Ramirez, was named directly—too risky in case the message was intercepted—Galcian wrote that he approved of his plan, forgave the actions he would have to take against him in light of the overall gain, that he expected more details in the reply, that he should send word when all of 'them' were acquired, and he would in turn take time to strengthen other areas and make plans to come for him and 'them' when word was sent and the signal given. 

Ramirez read the message several times in order to memorize it; then, once he had done so, he destroyed it, tearing it into several small pieces and throwing them overboard. He wrote a brief reply detailing that only one of 'them' was left, that roughly three to four weeks would be needed to acquire it, that 'his' base was located on an island in the land of the Red Moon between eastern Valua and the city of Nasrad, and that he expected to see Ilazki there. Ramirez did not hesitate in naming his sword from the Great Silver Shrine; very few people knew it was called Ilazki, after all, so it made no difference, and it also made it very clear as to who was writing the note. Ramirez drew Galcian's insignia in the upper right corner to mark to whom it was written and, without bothering with a signature, attached the note to the cormorant. Once it was tightly and securely fitted, the cormorant cried, then raised its wings and set off into flight, flapping towards the north, back to Valua. 

Smiling slightly, he watched it go until it was a mere speck in the sky and was gone.  
  
  
  
As Ramirez had been further detailing his treachery, Vyse had entered his home, where his parents were waiting, and sat down next to his father. His mother nodded to them both and quietly left the house, leaving the two to speak privately. 

When she was gone, Vyse started, rather awkwardly, "Hi, Dad." 

"You must be glad now that you can get away with calling me that," Dyne observed. 

The young air pirate grinned. "Heh," he laughed, "I remember when you'd be telling me every other sentence not to call you Dad." 

Dyne lifted his eyebrows. "That's because you could never get it through your head that I'm your captain, _not_ your father, when we're out sailing," he reminded him. "When you're a father someday, maybe you'll understand." 

Vyse made a noise remarkably similar to 'pshaw'. "_My_ kids will call me Dad and I'll be damn _proud_ of them for doing it." 

Dyne shook his head, although he wasn't upset. "Anyway, what did you want to talk to me about, Vyse?" he inquired. 

"Ah...right," Vyse said, faltering for a second. "Actually, I wanted to tell you that Enrique isn't the only Valuan in my crew." 

Dyne stared. 

"Ramirez—you know, the Admiral?—joined me a while back, too," Vyse continued. 

Dyne did not stop staring. "Ramirez," he repeated. "As in short silver hair, long wicked-looking sword, Galcian's right-hand man Ramirez." 

Vyse sweatdropped. "Uh, yeah," he said. "That Ramirez." 

Dyne crossed his arms and asked the obvious question with his dark brown eyes. 

"I, uh, defeated him in fair combat, and he agreed to join me," Vyse fibbed. 

"Vyse, don't lie to your father," the more experienced Blue Rogue snapped. 

The younger pirate's sweatdrop increased. "I'm not lying!" he persisted. "That's what happened! Sort of. Almost. Kind of." 

"Forget about that, then," Dyne said, clearly annoyed. "What in the six moons makes you think having him around in the first place is a good idea?" 

"It's okay, Dad," Vyse insisted; "Ramirez is a part of my crew. I trust him." 

The senior Blue Rogue frowned. "Vyse, you may say you trust him, but are you sure that's a good idea? After all is said and done, Ramirez is an Admiral of the Valuan Armada, and was Galcian's own Vice-Captain. Who do you think his loyalty belongs to?" 

Despite his father's sage words, Vyse remained obstinate. "Ramirez is my friend," he said. "I know he's loyal to Galcian, but I'm sure we can work something out so that there doesn't have to be any conflict in the future." 

The older Blue Rogue peered at his son for a moment, then shook his head in resignation. "You're the captain of your own ship now, Vyse; you have the right to make your own decisions for your own ship, even if I disagree with them. However, you have to keep in mind that your decision doesn't just affect you; it affects everyone else in your crew. If Ramirez, for some reason or another, turns out to be untrustworthy, you have to care take of him." 

"Dad, he saved my life," Vyse argued. "I'm pretty sure he's trustworthy." 

"He could have done that to lower your guard," Dyne pointed out. "A strategy meant to make you _think_ he's becoming your friend." 

"Sorry, but I think I have a better judge of character than that," Vyse said, affronted. 

Dyne shook his head again. "You're young yet, Vyse, and you've always been lucky," he said. "I just hope you stay lucky." 

The young air pirate refrained from rolling his eyes. Just because he was captain of his own ship didn't mean his father couldn't smack him over the head for being an impertinent ass. "Right, Dad." 

"By the way, Vyse, did you know Valua is offering a million gold for your head?" Dyne commented. 

Vyse's jaw dropped. "_Wow_," he breathed. "A _million_ gold? Just for _me_?" 

"Dead or alive," his father added. 

"Wow! The Valuans must really hate me!" the young rogue said, impressed. "I should be afraid, huh? A lot of people are going to be attracted by a bounty that big. But for some reason, I'm not worried at all." He grinned. "After all I've been through, I honestly don't think there's anyone in the world who can beat me." 

Dyne considered his son and the danger he had put himself in by accepting Ramirez as a crew mate. Perhaps it was just that the older Blue Rogue didn't know the circumstances; perhaps Vyse really _had_ befriended Ramirez, or somehow convinced him to abandon Galcian and become an Air Pirate. Dyne thought that highly unlikely, though; people's loyalties, if they were worth anything at all, did not shift that easily. But still, Vyse wouldn't hear anything about it; probably Ramirez saving his life, however that had happened, had convinced him that the sixth Admiral was trustworthy, even if he was not. Regardless, it was now Vyse's life, and he was the one who would have to suffer from his own mistakes as captain of his own ship and crew. 

Coming to that decision, Dyne replied, "If you say so, Vyse." 

"By the way, Dad," Vyse added, "do you mind if Ramirez comes onto the island?" 

Dyne stared at his son yet again. 

"I won't show him or tell him about underground!" Vyse said quickly, reading his father's expression. "He's into stargazing too, and I wanted to show him the view from Lookout Island. But this is _your_ base, after all, so I didn't want to bring him here without your OK." 

The older pirate frowned severely, but it was tempered slightly by the thought that Vyse was at least asking him for permission first. "A lot of people here won't be too happy to see Ramirez's face," Dyne warned his son. "Since he's already seen the surface of Pirate's Isle when he _devastated it for Galcian_," and Dyne was slightly satisfied to see Vyse flinch at the truth, "it won't make any difference if he sees it again, but as long as he doesn't know about the underground, then I can accept that. However, for his safety, you'd better make sure nobody sees him. You might want to wait until after dark to bring him up. I have one question, though. The Delphinus can go much higher than Lookout Island, so why don't you just go stargazing on that?" 

"Dad, it just doesn't have the same ambience," Vyse replied in a tone of 'that's so obvious, how can you even _ask_ that'. "My childhood and Ramirez's were pretty alike, so I thought he'd appreciate seeing the stars the way I did when I was a kid." 

Yet again, Dyne stared at his son, but this time doubts began to fill his mind. _Had_ Vyse really befriended Ramirez? The way he talked about him, it certainly seemed as if he had... Then again, Ramirez could be tricking Vyse. But was it in his nature to do so? In the little Dyne had seen of Ramirez, he seemed like a cold, humorless, yet straightforward young man; he seemed that he would prefer an honest battle to tricks and treachery. But again, Dyne didn't know the full situation, so it might not be the case... 

Dyne realized that he was again over-thinking what was not truly his business. For his own crew's sake, he had to consider all the angles of a given situation to keep everyone safe, but Vyse was no longer part of his crew. Vyse was his own man now, and if he was to learn anything at all from life, he had to fend for himself, even against those who might deceive him. 

So, again making his decision, Dyne just said, "Just be careful, Vyse, and watch what you talk about," and that was that. 

Vyse smiled. "Thanks, Dad."  
  
  
  
Ramirez gazed out from the edge of the Delphinus' deck at the colors painted in the sky by the setting sun. Though he had returned inside after sending off the cormorant, he found that being outside agreed with him better than being pent up inside, since he could be in solitude on the deck, and returned there to ponder the various major issues in his life. Initially, he considered the letter he had just sent, and what strategy to implement against Vyse and the others while Lord Galcian was taking care of things in Valua. His current strategy of ingratiating himself to them and winning their trust seemed to be working, especially after he had accidentally saved Vyse's life recently. Even that girl Aika had been impressed, and although Ramirez had not appreciated her teasing at all, she was the greatest obstacle to making everyone complacent, and the incident had played a major role in beginning to change her mind. Still, there might come a time when the plot came undone prematurely, and in that case, a backup plan would be necessary. This brought to mind Ramirez's...feelings...for Vyse. 

He had tried his best to forget about them, to crush them out of existence with indifference, but whenever he thought even fleetingly of them, they would clamp onto his mind with the tenacity of a barnacle, irritating him to no end. Ramirez didn't even understand why he felt that way; Vyse had attempted to win his favor with kindness, but Ramirez had had more than enough experience with those who used kindness as a method of treachery and deceit. He himself was using that tactic, and so far it was working. Why should a maneuver he was employing succeed against him? No, despite all of Vyse's actions and words, and in spite of Ramirez's grudging respect for him, the Silvite swordsman still couldn't bring himself to trust him. They were, contrary to Vyse's efforts, enemies, and nothing could change that—not even the transient emotion called love. Ramirez didn't even understand what love was, so how could he say that he truly felt it? Besides, Vyse was flanked at both sides by two attractive women; he would never choose another man over Aika _or_ Fina. There was no point for Ramirez to chase an unrequited love, especially one for an enemy, so it was better after all to chalk it up to confusion and temporary weakness. 

But even telling himself, Ramirez couldn't help but still feel a little depressed and jealous. 

To take his mind off of that, he had switched his focus to Fina and the piece of the Silver Moon Crystal inside her body. Though they had been friends since childhood, they were on opposite sides now, and Ramirez knew that he couldn't afford mercy to anyone, even sweet, simple Fina, who didn't understand anything, probably due to the Elders fawning on her, as they had since her youth. When all of the other Crystals had been collected, Ramirez had intended on returning briefly to the Great Silver Shrine to kill one of the Elders—preferably Elder Prime—and take his piece of the Crystal. However, with Fina here, that meant when the time came, he could eliminate her and take _her_ Crystal, removing the need to return to the Shrine. It would be much more convenient and efficient, but... Ramirez still wasn't quite sure what he wanted to do with her. It wasn't really her fault that she was a naïf, and it was just pitiful how she continued to dote on him even after he had been cruel to her... In the end, he decided that the matter wasn't pressing, nor was it necessary. After Lord Galcian had five of the Crystals, there was no way Vyse could oppose him and hope to live; Ramirez could have plenty of time to return to the Shrine and take whichever piece of the Silver Crystal he pleased. 

When that was finished, he returned to contemplating his backup plan for in case something happened to alert Vyse and the others of his plot to betray them. By then, though, his personal feelings had bled into the matter and sabotaged his train of thought, causing him to lose focus and stare blankly, even now, at the boundless sky while no strategy formulated. It was while Ramirez lost himself in the land of twilight, under the moon, that he suddenly became aware of someone approaching him from behind. 

Stomping on his initial reaction to turn swiftly around and demand who was there, Ramirez instead straightened his back slightly to indicate to the intruder his awareness. 

"Hi," said Vyse, joining him in watching the sunset. "Gorgeous, isn't it?" 

Ramirez said nothing at first, but only glanced briefly to his right, where Vyse was leaning against the guardrail, and cast his glower down into the sky. He _would_ stay calm, he would _not_ act flustered or embarrassed... "It's all right." 

The young captain admired the dying light on the horizon with a nostalgic smile. "It wasn't that long ago when I was watching this sky with Aika and Fina, saying how I wanted to go beyond the sunset," he commented. "And now look at me. Heh..." 

/_You _can't _go beyond the sunset, Vyse; the Sun is a massive orb of combusting gasses, burning millions of miles away,_/ Ramirez mentally answered. What he actually said was, "...You're...quite the romantic." 

Vyse grinned, turning to his silver-haired companion. "You think so?" he queried. "But you're pretty romantic at heart too, huh? Mr. Wilwarin Is My Favorite Constellation." 

Ramirez grimaced. "I'm not talking to you now." 

"Hold on, I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" Vyse said quickly, biting back a laugh. "Say, speaking of constellations, there's a great view of the sky from Lookout Isle, the lookout post above Pirate's Isle. Since it's getting dark, I can sneak you on without anyone noticing, and we can stargaze together." 

The Admiral stared. Was Vyse taunting him? Did he realize...? Switching his expression to neutral, he inquired, "...Isn't that a lot of trouble? We could easily watch the stars from here. It would cause less trouble, too." 

Vyse shook his head. "No way!" he said firmly. "I always went to that island to stargaze when I was a kid. It has to be there!" 

The white-haired swordsman scrutinized the brunet before him. "Vyse, what are you trying to pull?" he asked guardedly. 

Vyse blinked in confusion. "What do you mean? It's a place full of my memories. I just wanted to share that with you...thought you'd like it, since we had similar childhoods." 

The emerald-eyed Silvite didn't know how to react, so he reverted to his natural persona and replied, "We are nothing alike." 

"Oh, don't do this now," Vyse frowned. "I really don't want to pick a fight with you. So do you want to come with or not?" 

"...Do you want me to?" 

"I wouldn't be asking you if I didn't." 

"...All right, I'll go," Ramirez finally relented. 

The brown-eyed captain smiled and just shook his head. "Do you always have to make things more difficult than they have to be, Rami?" he queried dryly. 

Ramirez frowned. "Didn't I tell you before not to call me Rami?" 

"Sorry, slipped," Vyse apologized, waving a hand. "Although...I'm pretty sure I've called you that before besides that first time, and since then, this is the first time you've complained." 

He was thrown for a moment, but he ultimately stated smoothly, "I must not have noticed those other times. Let's go." 

"Yeah," the young Blue Rogue replied, glancing at the horizon. The sun had already sunk, and the crimson and gold in the sky were giving way to the deep indigo and plum of evening. If they left now, they probably wouldn't be seen; they just had to be careful. "Just follow me." 

The two silently departed together, making their way through the Delphinus and taking the shuttle back to Pirate's Isle. The abundance of shadows and Ramirez's already dark clothing served to hide him well enough, and nobody noticed them as they two walked to the ladder leading up to the island. It was hardly an island, really, Ramirez found; more like a small chunk of land floating above Pirate's Isle, but attached by a ladder and equipped with an all-enclosing wooden fence and a bench. He supposed the locals just called it that. 

Vyse collapsed against the bench, throwing up his arms and folding them behind his head, happily turning his gaze up at the blackening sky. Ramirez, not quite as enthusiastic as his companion, merely sat down on the bench next to where Vyse was resting and leaned back to observe the slowly emerging stars. To the west was the Evening Star Phosphorus, glowing brightly in the sky near where the sun had set. Emerging on the other side of the horizon was Illumina the Great Mirror; nearby was Claria the Sacrificial Maiden. 

"You know, before you passed out back at Crescent Isle, I asked you if you could tell me the constellation legends you had where you came from," Vyse commented. "I don't know if you remember or not..." 

"I didn't," Ramirez replied quietly. "I assume you want me to tell you one now?" 

"If that's okay." 

"Hmm..." The young Silvite shut his green eyes, trying to recall how that particular legend went. "Let's see... If I recall correctly, your favorite constellation is Michaol the Fallen Angel, so his story will suffice... It might be different from what you're used to. Silvite legends have stayed the same as they were in the past while Arcadian legends have changed, sometimes rather radically. You might not like it." 

"Not like Michaol? Unlikely," Vyse scoffed. "C'mon, stop stalling." 

Ramirez frowned slightly, but shrugged. "All right..." Gathering his thoughts, he began, "Originally, Michaol was the brightest, most beautiful angel under God's command, so noble and powerful that even God Himself thought of him less of a servant and more of an equal. Michaol was one of the original seven angels—perhaps the very first angel—the legend doesn't specify. 

"In either case, Michaol was one of the Archangels who assisted God in creating reality, the heavens and Arcadia and its six Moons; another was Ilazki, a female Archangel and right after Michaol in terms of power and greatness. When all the celestial objects and living creatures were finished, God was completely exhausted and needed to rest lest He destroy Himself, but He was worried about His creations; if he didn't watch over them, who would? None of the Archangels could think of an answer except for Michaol, who boldly stepped forward," and around here, Ramirez was beginning to enjoy his storyteller role, "and suggested that they, God's first creations, should be given the honor of protecting Arcadia while He rested. 

"The other Archangels and God all thought that this was a splendid idea, so God assigned each of the rest of the Archangels to each of the six Moons, and told Michaol to stay with Him as He rested. Michaol, however, was upset with this decision. Why was he, who was the greatest and most glorious of the Archangels, denied a Moon? Could God not easily make a seventh Moon, just for him? But God was exhausted after all, and said He could not make a seventh Moon for Michaol, and in any case, God wished for Michaol to remain with Him, so that he could protect Him while He slept. Michaol pretended to accept this, but secretly he resented God's decree, and decided to himself that as soon as God closed His eyes, he would go to Arcadia and claim the world itself as his charge." 

Ramirez paused for a moment to rest his tongue. With some surprise, he realized he couldn't recall the last time he had spoken so much at one time for merely recreational purposes... 

When the Silvite had not continued for several seconds, Vyse spoke up, "Ramirez?" 

"Just catching my breath," he replied. "How does it compare with your version, Vyse?" 

After a slight pause, the captain of the Delphinus answered, "It's a little different. But keep going. Please." 

The young swordsman was reminded faintly of his time with Hahaue years ago, when he would sit at her feet, resting his head on her lap, and she would sing to him or tell him stories while stroking his hair... Ramirez stiffened. He was over her death; it happened nine years ago, and he had dealt with it in his own fashion. In addition, he was a soldier, hardened by both battle and experience—he had no use for pitiful nostalgia for things that could not be changed, that could never return. 

But even so...even so... 

Vyse glanced back up and blinked in surprise when he saw his companion hunched over, his expression one of the devout misery of one who cannot surrender his pain-filled past. "Ramirez..." he began, "hey...are you okay?" 

The green-eyed man quickly glanced in the opposite direction. "Mind your own business," he said in a strangely restrained voice. 

"Hey, don't give me that, not when we were just starting to get along!" the rogue exclaimed, getting to his feet. "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?" 

"It's nothing," Ramirez murmured, still looking away. /_Why am I this weak, no matter how much I struggle to become stronger..._/ "Do you want to hear the rest of the story or not?" 

The captain of the Delphinus looked at Ramirez worriedly. "If you're upset about something..." 

"I'm _fine_," he said flatly. "In any case, Michaol waited until God laid down to rest and fell asleep before he flew down to Arcadia. He traveled the world for a long time by foot and by wings, flying to every place where he could not walk. The world was incidentally said to originally have been one large chunk of rock with bodies of water instead of air between land, and the sky was only above the earth, not under or around it. There were no flying islands or continents or anything of that sort—" 

"_Weird_," Vyse breathed, now again enthralled by Ramirez's story. "Sorry," he added when the Silvite tensed. "Didn't mean to interrupt. Continue." 

"Arcadia was a world of earth and water, not air," the Admiral reiterated tersely. "And Michaol loved it. He wanted to stay on Arcadia forever and rule over it, usurping God's power by claiming to be their creator. The other Archangels saw what he was doing and were angry, but they were also afraid of him, and they were more obedient, and stayed in the realms of their respective Moons, using their powers to indirectly help the Arcadians against Michaol, who acted as a tyrant against them. 

"However, eventually, God awoke, and when He arose fully rested and saw that Michaol was not with Him, He was angered, terribly so when He saw that Michaol was on Arcadia, presuming His role as their creator. God went down to Arcadia and demanded that Michaol return to the heavens with Him, but Michaol refused, because he liked it where he was. God was then infuriated and demanded again that he return to heaven, lest God unleash His divine powers upon Michaol, but Michaol only laughed and said he was better and more powerful than God, and then struck God to prove his superiority. 

"God struck back, and the two proceeded to fight viciously, using all of their power more and more until Arcadia was broken and fragmented around them, nearly destroyed, but still in large pieces. Finally, the other Archangels used their power to aid God, and in that moment, God laid His hands upon Michaol and tore his wings asunder and threw his battered body into the stars among the heavens, where it stayed as a constellation. 

"God then looked upon the damage he had wrought in His battle and grieved. However, the six Archangels, led by Ilazki of the Silver Moon, banded together, and they helped God piece Arcadia together again into the world we know today. God charged Ilazki and her people, the Silvites, with watching over the new form of Arcadia and making sure that no one else tried to gain control of it, and then left to make sure Michaol was truly finished, and to continue the creation of the rest of reality, of a universe of countless other stars and planets." 

Ramirez took a deep breath, finally finished with the story, and waited for Vyse's reaction. He certainly hoped the rogue appreciated the story; it had dug up all sorts of sorrowful memories... 

Vyse was silent for a moment before he quietly said, "I really don't like how that ended." 

"That's the original, true form of the legend," Ramirez murmured in reply, slightly irritated. "How does _your_ version go?" 

"There are a bunch. The beginning is more or less the same in all versions—the seven Archangels, tons of other normal, unimportant angels, God creating Arcadia and being helped by the Archangels, especially Michaol and Ilazki, telling all the Archangels but Michaol to bind themselves to the Moon, then going to sleep. Some versions say that Michaol helped God out, some say that only Ilazki helped out, some say none of the Archangels helped out, some say God wasn't exhausted but wanted to sleep anyway and took Michaol with Him... Lots of different versions, as I said. My favorite version, the one I grew up on, though, was a version where Michaol was the leader of the Archangels and had this awesome silver sword that could tear through the heavens. It was forged by God and given to Michaol as a sign of trust. Did Michaol have that sword in the original version? I mean, I know you didn't mention it, but you could've forgotten." 

"Hm." Ramirez tried to remember, succeeded. "Yes, he did. I forgot about that part because it didn't have any bearing on the story...ironic, that. Anyway, God made a brilliant silver sword, gave it to Michaol, which Michaol used later to oppress the Arcadians. God took it back after he threw Michaol in the sky and gave it to Ilazki instead." 

"Yeah, some versions of the legend say that God threw the sword with Michaol into heaven, and others say he gave it to Ilazki," Vyse recalled, nodding. "Anyway, Michaol had that sword, and when God finished creating the world and went to sleep and had Michaol stay with Him, Michaol grew anxious because he was worried about Arcadia. Sure, the other Archangels were watching over it, but they didn't love it like he did, and they weren't close to the living things on Arcadia itself, and he wanted to protect them. So he left without God's permission to travel around Arcadia, and spent centuries there protecting the Arcadians. Ilazki got really pissed at him and told him to return to God, but Michaol refused, saying that he would protect Arcadia with his sword. That was always my favorite part!" Vyse nearly gushed, getting to his feet. "You know, it's 'cause of Michaol that I decided to use swords instead of guns like my dad. Swords just kick ass! And that whole 'I'll protect Arcadia' thing—I really admired him for that. That's just what the strong should do, protect the weak! I mean, what other reason is there for becoming strong?" 

Ramirez stared at his companion, blinking in amazement at Vyse's naïveté, but the young air pirate didn't seem to notice. Vyse continued to energetically ramble, a grin on his face and a glint in his eyes, "I want to protect the people I care about too, just like Michaol! I've always thought that way ever since I first heard that legend! But I'm not gonna end up like Michaol did. If you die protecting the people you love, then they'll just get sad over your death! I don't ever want to hurt anyone like that, so I'll protect everyone and make sure I stay alive, too! 'Cause the only one who sees my life to the end is me! I'll never give up, not to anyone!!" 

As Vyse strayed further and further off-topic, the young Silvite continued to stare, until he started to smile slightly, closed his eyes and started to laugh. 

Vyse halted, his train of thought derailed by the sound of Ramirez's laughter. The strange thing, though, was that it wasn't derisive, sarcastic or cold... It was genuine laughter, quiet but warm, like a patch of morning sunlight. The sound of it surprised Vyse, but after the first few seconds of adjusting to Ramirez, of all people, laughing, he smiled. 

"Hey, what's so funny?" he asked, sitting down next to his fellow swordsman. 

Ramirez covered his mouth with his left hand, but his shoulders continued to shake for several seconds before he straightened and replied, smiling slightly, "You are. You're such a child, Vyse." 

Vyse laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Guess I overdid it a little, huh?" 

Still smiling, Ramirez shook his head. "It's all right," he assured him. "Your childlike enthusiasm is...endearing." 

The brown-eyed rogue's grin returned. "You really think so? I wouldn't think you'd like that in a person, what with your whole 'the world is out to get me' attitude." 

"Innocence is nice, but it usually doesn't last very long," Ramirez replied, his smile beginning to fade. "It's sort of refreshing to see it in someone as old as you." 

"It's refreshing for me, too," Vyse smiled warmly, his eyes on the silver-haired young man, "to see that you can appreciate that." 

There was a long moment of silence that stretched out between the two, and as Ramirez gazed back at him, he was overcome by a wave of emotion and began to blurt out, "Actually, Vyse, I—" 

/_I love you._/ 

But was that true anymore? Ramirez found that, even at this close proximity, his chest didn't feel tight, and his face wasn't hot. He felt comfortable, even relaxed, but those signs of his previous affections seemed to be gone. Almost laughing again, Ramirez realized that he'd done it; he had conquered his emotions! He had nearly lost to them a few seconds before, but he stopped himself in time. It wasn't love or anything like that after all; he _had_ been just confused, and seeing Vyse like this had cleared his thoughts. Although Ramirez didn't understand how it made a difference, it seemed to have been the catalyst, and that was good enough for him. _He'd defeated himself_. 

"You what?" Vyse prompted after Ramirez was silent for too long. 

"Ah—" With a start, Ramirez realized that he may have stopped himself and conquered his misguided feelings, but he had still started. Thinking quickly, he continued, "I've made my decision. I won't kill you after all." /_It may be a bit of weakness on my part, but Vyse isn't really a bad person,_/ Ramirez added mentally. /_He doesn't need to die. I can devise an alternate solution._/ 

Vyse laughed. "Hey, that's good to hear!" he grinned. "What made you change your mind?" 

The Silvite smiled a bit. "This and that," he replied. "Finish your version of the Michaol legend, would you?" 

"Oh! Right," the brunet rogue said. "Let's see, was talking about Michaol and Ilazki arguing... Yeah, Michaol said he'd protect Arcadia with his own hands, not watch over them coldly and from a distance like the other Archangels. So Ilazki—I really don't like her for doing this, but she _was_ trying to do what she thought was right, so I can forgive her—went off to wake up God. God came down to Arcadia, saw she was telling the truth, and got all pissed at Michaol, told him to get out of Arcadia. Michaol refused, saying that since he helped create this world, he had a right to help look after it. God then decreed that Michaol was to be cast out of heaven for disobeying his orders, but Michaol said he hadn't done anything wrong and challenged God to a duel. God accepted, and they fought, but since they were so powerful, whenever they swung their weapons, the world around them was destroyed, bit by bit, until it was all in pieces. The legend I was used to never said what Arcadia was like before it was destroyed, so I always assumed it was the same way, by the way. 

"Anyway, when Michaol realized that if they kept on fighting, they'd destroy the world, so he threw down his sword and surrendered. God took his sword and threw Michaol out of heaven, but placed his image in the stars out of respect. God then put the world back together with the help of the other Archangels, especially Ilazki, and when it was done, He gave Michaol's sword to Ilazki and told her to take care of it and have the people under her protection wield it responsibly, since, you know, silver sword, Silver Moon, yeah. 

"Now, what happened to Michaol in the end, that varies," Vyse continued after a slight pause. "The version I first heard said God damned him, sealed him in the world of the dead at the center of Arcadia and turned him into the King of the Dead. Another version says he still wanders the world even today, and the third that I can recall is the same as your version—God ripped him apart and threw him into the sky, where he turned into a constellation. Either way, it really bothered me that Michaol just wanted to protect Arcadia and God threw him out of heaven for it. I guess with the version you grew up with, what with Michaol being portrayed as an arrogant bastard—I _really_ don't like that, I'm sorry, but it bothers the hell out of me—you aren't going to agree with me, but I'm always going to be on Michaol's side. He really didn't do anything wrong, after all." 

As Vyse finished his version of the story, Ramirez couldn't help but smile again. Vyse's sense of indignation and righteousness... They were so pure that Ramirez just knew that he couldn't possibly be faking them. It was...cute, really. With a suppressed chuckle, the silver-haired swordsman realized that he finally understood why people followed Vyse; he was a sincere, pure person, and others could sense that. Even if he was an idiot, and not especially strong, Vyse did have talent and charisma. Even Ramirez himself, who loathed him at the beginning of this journey, couldn't continue to hate him after getting to know him better... 

Ramirez hesitated, internally frowning. He liked Vyse. He didn't love him, but he liked him. Vyse _was_ a good person; he really wasn't like the people in Valua, who faked kindness and such to deceive others. Ramirez was certain of that now. However, Vyse was still his enemy, and Ramirez already had set into motion plans to betray him... 

He shook his head slightly. He was, for the first time in a very long time, content...perhaps even happy. Ramirez could always dissect the meanings in search of a reason or an excuse in the morning; for now, he could pretend that he and Vyse really could be friends. 

"Something wrong?" Vyse inquired, tilting his head slightly to get a better look at Ramirez's face. 

"No, not really," Ramirez lied. "I was just thinking about various things. Let's get back to stargazing, okay?" 

The young captain smiled and nodded, and the two sat there, looking up at the stars and talking, anxieties forgotten for the time being, for hours and hours into the peaceful night.  
  
  


* * *

  


**NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal Arcadia_ [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong. 

**Ianthe:** Fina and Aika will not, I repeat, _not_ become a shoujo-ai couple later. That would be contrived. Not that we have anything against it...   
**Ayu:** I _like_ Aika/Fina!   
**Ianthe:** ...but it just doesn't fit with how we've set up the story. Readers, you do it first. 

**Ayu:** Since Vyse's mom is never given a name in-game, I gave her one: Vasa. Honoring my roots, this is the name of a famous Swedish ship...that, uh, sank on her maiden voyage. Ahem. Also, technically, it's pronounced 'Wasa', but it's spelled 'Vasa', and the normal reader will not be able to tell the difference, so whatthehellever... 

_The bird...a monochrome cormorant..._   
**Ianthe:** Ayu-chan and I had been watching _Sailormoon S_ when we wrote this (die, Mimet, die!), so that's why it's a cormorant. And if anyone is complaining, remember that this is a different world, and here, a cormorant might be an entirely different kind of bird than what we know. 

**Ayu:** The name Ilazki, which is used for Ramirez's sword as well as the Archangel of the Silver Moon, is taken from the Basque goddess of the moon. Also, when romanized in Japanese, it reads Irazuki, which, with the right kanji, means "thorn moon". Originally Ilazki was just the name of Rami's sword, but since Ianthe-chan and I are lazy, we used the same name for the Archangel of the Silver Moon, too. It still works. 

**Ayu:** The title of this chapter is a line from the _serial experiments lain_ insert song, _Kodoku no Signal_ (_Signal of Solitude_), by Nakaido "CHABO" Reichi. Full lyrics can be found at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!_, the link to which you can find below. Also, in this chapter, I hid a song title Easter egg. Find it and earn anime fandom brownie points! 

**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com   
**Contact Ianthe of d.I:** ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))   
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net))


	11. Chapter 11: Ikoku no Sora Mitsumete Kodo...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  
**Chapter 11:** Ikoku no Sora Mitsumete Kodoku wo Dakishimeta  
(_I Gazed at the Foreign Sky and Embraced Solitude_)  
*Warning: R-rated language in this chapter.  
  
  
  
  
  


The next day, Vyse was in a particularly good mood. It was to be expected, considering how much farther he had gotten in his friendship with Ramirez, and how long they'd talked about the stars and other things—Vyse had recounted several stories about his childhood adventures with Aika to his companion—but the entire experience had left him with a buoyant feeling. He had truly enjoyed the time he'd spent with Ramirez, and he was sure Ramirez had felt the same way in return—and knowing that made Vyse happy in a way he couldn't describe. Sure, the two of them had had some rough spots between the two of them, like when Ramirez had threatened to kill him, or when he kept picking fights with him, or when he used his jacket as a blood-cleaning rag...okay, those were _really_ rough spots...but now that Ramirez had calmed down and decided that he wouldn't kill Vyse after all, the brown-eyed young man found him to be a great friend, one who he'd love to get to know better. There was still the matter of Ramirez's conflicting loyalties to Galcian, though... 

Vyse narrowed his eyes as he shouted his orders to his crew, setting sail north to Sailor's Island. It was Valua and Galcian that had tainted Ramirez, wasn't it? According to Fina, Ramirez used to be a much nicer guy, and the Blue Rogue trusted her words. Vyse had no idea what had happened to Ramirez to turn him into the bitter, cynical man he was now; all he could see that the pale swordsman was slowly starting to improve his attitude, getting more laidback and talkative. And, as far as Vyse could tell, it was Valua and Galcian's fault that Ramirez had become such a dark person—and that it was through Vyse's efforts that Ramirez was recovering from that darkness. 

/_That's it, then!_/ Vyse thought with a resolute smile, facing forward to his destination. /_I'll help Ramirez, no matter what. I'll help him get over his past and learn that there's more to this world than just collecting power!_/ 

To Vyse, the solution was simple: remove the bad influence from Galcian and Valua, and Ramirez would slowly begin to recover his old self. That was already starting to happen, and with results like that, why _wouldn't_ the Blue Rogue think it would work? He'd been discouraged before, but discouragement never stuck with Vyse; there wasn't a single person in the world that he really hated, and he was convinced that anyone could change their ways and become a better person. So to him, erasing Galcian's corruption didn't sound as ludicrous as it would to someone less idealistic. 

After all, Vyse only knew how to face forward.  
  
  
  
The temperature was warm, the breeze cool and the sky beautifully clear when they arrived at Sailor's Island. When the crew of the Delphinus left the giant ship to purchase the supplies necessary for the trip back to Crescent Isle and beyond, Ramirez couldn't help but turn his eyes toward the skies. He had been contentedly gazing at that sky with Vyse just yesterday...but that was under the cover of the dreamlike night. Now it was the harsh reality of daylight, when, ironically enough, the darkness in Ramirez's heart surged again. 

Yes, last night had been a good night, and he could even go so far as to say he had been happy. Ramirez knew too well the evanescence of happiness, though, that one could not rely upon it. Furthermore, though it was faint, the Admiral couldn't help but feel jealous. Why was Vyse so successful both at life and maintaining his innocence and joie de vivre, when _he_ had had to surrender the latter? True, Ramirez liked the silly little fool, and didn't want to physically hurt him...but emotional pain was a different matter. He smirked slightly. If he and Vyse were _so_ alike as certain others liked to claim, they should be alike a little more... 

Yes, he knew, he would still betray Vyse and impart unto him the pain of living. Maybe then he would understand what it meant to suffer alone, even when surrounded by people... 

Once they had entered the port town, Vyse stopped, and his friends followed suit. He turned to the others, and smiling, he said, "All right, we have a schedule to follow, so let's split up." Turning to each person as he addressed them, Vyse went on, "Enrique and Aika, you go to the items shop and stock up on crystals and other things we'll need. Fina, you and I'll go to the ship parts dealer and get some upgraded weapons and armor for the Delphinus. Ramirez, you go to the weapons shop and see if they haven't got any new shipments of weapons and armor to replace our old stuff." Smiling and placing his fists on his hips, the brunet rogue finished, "We'll meet back here in front of the Sailor's Guild in half an hour, all right?" 

Enrique, Aika and Fina cheerfully gave their aye-ayes, whereas Ramirez merely nodded acknowledgement and went on his way. He was surprised, to say the least, that Vyse was sending him on an errand at all, let alone without company... Perhaps he was trying to show he trusted him? Well, that would be his downfall someday soon... 

As Ramirez walked briskly, his military training demanding that he complete the task as quickly and efficiently as possible though he had time enough, he passed by a few people. One of those people hesitated, stopped, and looked back at him. 

"Ramirez?" she called. 

He turned reflexively to see who was hailing him, to see that female musician from the last time they had been at Sailor's Island, Arianne. 

Her usual bright smile in place, she approached him. "I _thought_ it was you!" she said cheerfully. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" 

He blinked. She was the last person he had expected to run into here. Composing himself, he nodded in acknowledgment, and said politely, "I suppose it has. Are you performing here again?" 

She nodded and said, "I was asked to perform at Polly's again, and, well...it was a good crowd last time. I don't mind doing it again so soon. Besides...they've offered a decent fee." Arianne sighed a bit before continuing, "I'd love to play for free, but you need at least some money in your pocket to keep going, so..." 

The young Admiral regarded her. "Why would you rather play for free?" 

"Well," the pianist began, furrowing her eyebrows, "I'd rather people didn't have to pay money to listen to music..." With a sigh, she added, "But Miran says it's not realistic." 

"One of your crewmates, I assume?" Ramirez said. "He has a point." 

Shaking her head, Arianne murmured, "Maybe..." 

Sensing that no good could come from pursuing this subject, Ramirez changed it quickly and smoothly with the most relevant question available. "When will you be performing? Vyse and the others would probably want to hear you again." 

The gray-eyed woman smiled. "That would be nice. It will begin at the same time as last—when the sun sets." 

/_That's good—we won't have time to see it, so I don't have to spend more time with her,_/ he mused, his expression never changing. He had no desire to spend more time with her than necessary. The only reason, he told himself, he was talking to her now was because there was no reason to brush her off yet, and he had a bit of time to spare. "In that case," he spoke aloud, "I don't know that we have the time to see. We are running on a schedule, after all." 

The yellow-haired maiden shrugged, her smile considerate. "It's okay," she said. "I wouldn't want you to change your plans on my account." 

"We have important things to do, besides," Ramirez added, hoping that she would catch the hint and leave. 

"I understand," she replied. Growing more serious, probably from remembering the last time they met, Arianne continued, "Speaking of important things, have you...spoken with Vyse about _that_?" 

"I have no reason to," he said evenly, hoping to avoid going down this path of conversation altogether. 

The taller woman didn't reply at first. Instead, Arianne's gray eyes flickered as she looked him over before she smiled slightly and nodded. "And how has traveling with him been?" 

"Fine," he replied, simply. Why did she have to concern herself with things that were not her business? Perhaps if he showed enough disinterest, she'd go away... 

"Hmmm..." Scrutinizing him for a moment, she half-queried, half-stated, "You would rather I left you be?" 

"...." He had forgotten about that ability of hers. Well, he figured he might as well be straightforward about it. "Yes." 

Her expression changed slightly into an emotion Ramirez couldn't identify. "Do you dislike me?" she inquired quietly. 

"...I don't really like anyone," he said, his tone neutral. 

Her eyelids lowered. "Not even Vyse?" 

He regarded her a moment, then replied, "...He's a decent person, but I can't say I like him." 

She smiled, closing her eyes. "Ramirez," she said in a deceptively light voice, "perhaps we should move to a more secluded place, since I would very much so like to hear why you are lying." 

He stared at her. "Excuse me?" he said, somewhat taken aback by her accusation, however true it was. 

She opened her eyes again, her gray eyes on him. "I do not think you're being truthful with me," Arianne rephrased herself. "And I can't help but be curious as to why." 

"...I have things to do," he said, definitely not wanting to talk with Arianne alone, especially not about this. "And I _am_ on a time budget." 

"You can spare a few minutes," she said, rather than asked. 

"I don't want to talk to you," Ramirez stated plainly, throwing any regard for diplomacy to the wind. "Leave me alone." 

Arianne smiled. "No." 

Ramirez glared at her. "Do you understand me? I _don't_ want to talk to you." 

"You're just running away," she countered calmly. 

Narrowing his eyes, his lips pulling back in a grimace, he demanded, "How can you say something like that? You don't know anything about me." 

"If we were to talk more, we would get to know each other better," she replied. "We spoke of many things last time, but I'm sure you recall as well as I do that we avoided discussing ourselves." 

"...." He was silent for a long moment before finally replying, "...Fine." It was becoming obvious that she was not going to leave him alone, and he wasn't about to resort to violence over something this petty. It was best to just talk to her for a moment and get it over with. "I _do_ have other things I need to do, so make it quick," he added, lest she think she could have a long, involved talk again. 

"We should move to some place more private," she replies, nodding toward the tower and turning that way, smiling. "I'll try to keep this brief. I'm only glad you'll listen." 

Ramirez shrugged slightly, and followed her to the place she indicated. 

There, Arianne lifted herself onto one of the crates and sat, folding her hands in her lap, before regarding Ramirez kindly. "So," she began, "if you would tell me why you feel the need to lie to me? You can talk to me; whatever we discuss, I promise I will keep confidential. We've already spoken at length about other things." 

He did not sit, but stood somewhat stiffly. Staring directly at her, he stated what he had said before. "I can't trust you." 

"Is this a personal thing, or do are you merely unable to trust anyone?" she inquired. 

He closed his eyes. "I told you, I don't trust anyone," he said coolly. 

Her eyes fluttered nearly shut as she moved her hands to fold together. "I wonder how deeply you were hurt to make you that way," she murmured, more to herself than to Ramirez. Opening her gray eyes more widely, she then inquired, "Do you or do you not still...love Vyse? I don't want to force you into stating a mistruth...but neither do I want you to lie, either to me or to yourself." Raising her hands to her chest, she added, "To be happy, you must be true to yourself and your feelings, your desires." 

He was silent a long moment. "...I don't know why you care so much about me. You barely know me." He shook his head slightly, then continued, "And as for your question, no, I do not. Respect him, perhaps, but love? Hardly." 

Arianne listened attentively, watching him closely, and when he finished talking, she smiled warmly. 

"I see," she said. "I understand. Thank you." Slipping down from her perch, she fluffed out her skirt and walked by Ramirez. "Even if you don't love him, Vyse can be your friend. I'm happy for you at least for that." With a small sigh, she glanced at the silver-haired swordsman, her smile saddening. "I may not know you, Ramirez...but I want you to be happy. I can't stand to see anyone suffer." She cast her eyes away to gaze at the floor. "I have my reasons for it...but you probably don't care to hear them, do you?" 

He wasn't particularly interested in hearing whatever reason she thought she had for sticking her nose in other people's business, so he didn't reply. He suspected she didn't expect him to reply, anyway... 

"Anyway," she added, looking up at him, "it was good to see you again, Ramirez, even if you don't return that opinion. Sorry to have delayed you. I'll see you again sometime, perhaps." 

"...Perhaps," he repeated. Of course, he knew it was likely that he'd never see her again. In less than a lunar cycle, he would be back in Valua and... But no. Now wasn't the time to think of such things. 

Nodding, Arianne hesitated, as if she wanted to say something more—then, looking away, her expression certain, she turned to the exit to face her crewmate, Miran, who was leaning against the frame, watching the two with an easygoing smile and hardened eyes.  
  
  
  
She was late. 

It was by just ten minutes, but it was enough to make Miran start to worry anyway. Arianne didn't like to be late, after all. She always made it a point to be punctual whenever possible. 

Staring up at the ceiling, lying on a bed at the inn, the brown-haired musician pondered going out to search for her when his companion, Fidel entered. 

"Huh?" he uttered, looking around. "So she's not in here, either?" 

"Why would any of the girls be in here, Fidel?" Miran asked, looking over at the blond-haired young man. "This is our room, after all." 

"Oh! Well, right," Fidel laughed nervously. "Well, I've been looking for Arianne, and it seems she's not anywhere else in the inn. She said she'd be back at noon, and you know how she's always on time." 

"Yeah, I know," Miran muttered, casting his eyes to the side. 

"Tierra and Rosalind just came back, too," Fidel added, "and they said they hadn't seen her out in town while returning from buying items, either." 

The tall man sighed, and rose from the bed. "I'd better go look for her. She's probably okay, but..." He trailed off, not finishing the sentence, and crossed the room. Turning to face his fellow musician, he added, "I should be back in a half-hour, at most," with the implied message, of course, that if he didn't return, something probably had happened to both Arianne and himself. 

Fidel blinked, not missing the insinuation, and nodded. "Rosalind and Tierra and I—maybe we should all go," he began to say, but Miran just shook his head. 

"It won't be necessary—or at least, it shouldn't be," he replied. "Besides, if trouble arose, there wouldn't be anything you could do to help me." 

The blond musician bowed his head. It was very true; he was an Upper Valuan and thus completely inexperienced with combat—but Miran was a Lower Valuan, and he had already collected a lifetime of battle experience... "I understand," he replied at length. "I hope you find Arianne soon, Miran." 

The brunet man smiled faintly. "I will. Thanks," he replied, and exited the room. 

Miran searched quickly and efficiently—but speed and efficiency don't help much when one looks in the wrong places. As such, when he finally _did_ find Arianne, she had already finished talking with her silver-haired companion. 

It was that same person she had spent so long with the last time they had been at Sailor's Island. He felt a slight twinge of resentment, but pushed it aside. After all, such things were her choice to make, and besides, she really hadn't shown that much interest in relationships ever since then... Leo was dead, after all, and Arianne was not. Arianne didn't deserve to cling to the past and be haunted by its shadows; he would carry that burden. But still, this stranger... 

"You were late, Arianne," he told her. 

Ramirez glanced over at the man in the doorway, vaguely remembering his face. Clearly one of Arianne's crewmates... 

Well, he would just wait for the two of them to leave, and then he'd go and finish the task Vyse had given him. 

"I'm sorry, Miran," Arianne replied, sounding startled; "I'd completely forgotten about the time! I saw Ramirez and I greeted him, and we simply started talking... I must have made you worry." 

Miran blinked in surprise at the mention of that name. Ramirez? This man's name is _Ramirez_? He hadn't caught it before—he focused his gaze back on the other man. White hair, a distinctive military uniform, a sword at his side— 

It was him. 

It _had_ to be him: Galcian's right-hand man, Ramirez. 

_He killed Leo._

Arianne blinked, and looked up at Miran, confused. "...Miran?" she asked, almost hesitant upon seeing the look on his face. 

"Arianne..." he replied quietly, his expression dark and his smile murderous, "you certainly know how to pick your friends, don't you?" 

Arianne stared at him. She hadn't seen that expression on his face in years. "What.... what do you mean?" she asked. 

Ignoring her question, Miran directed his gaze at Ramirez, who glared back. "Hey, Ramirez," he said, leaning against the door frame, clearly not intending to go anywhere. "I have a story to tell you." 

The Silvite turned, facing the taller man. "Yes?" he asked, deciding to hear him out for the moment. 

Miran's smile increased, and he crossed his arms as he began his tale. "Around...oh, fifteen years ago, I'd say, there were three boys in Lower Valua. The first boy was the oldest and strongest, and the other two boys were his best friend and his younger brother, respectively." 

Arianne blinked worriedly, her expression registering understanding as Miran spoke. Ramirez noticed, but didn't bother to comment, and merely matched Miran's dark expression with one of his own as he continued, "Their parents did what pretty much all adults in Lower Valua do—which is to say, work for next to nothing an hour for eighteen hours a day, every day, so the Upper Valuans could get fat and do nothing all day." 

With an exaggerated shrug, smirk, and wave of his right arm, Miran said, "Those three boys didn't want to be dragged into that kind of lifestyle, so they decided to go try to do something with themselves. Their base was the sewers under Valua, 'cause nobody would ever think to look in there, and since it was filled with monsters, they got into fights a lot and got stronger. Well, the first boy did, mostly, and then his younger brother; the best friend could barely see ten feet in front of himself and wasn't that good at handling weapons anyway. But the three managed, and in the sewers, they'd fight off monsters together and secretly work on trying to figure out a way how to get out of Lower Valua with their respective families without, you know, getting killed and all. 

Ramirez raised an eyebrow, as if to ask if there was a point to this story. 

Catching the look, Miran went on, "Fast forward to six years ago, after lots of plotting and hard work and camaraderie and all those things that you wouldn't be interested in. The same three boys are now grown men, and quite annoyed by Valuan society. They're smart enough by now to realize that, as things are, nothing's ever going to change, so they've got to do something about it. 

"So they decide to form a group to work against and try to overthrow the Empress. Fast forward some more to two years ago, once again skipping the details that you aren't interested in hearing. The group is pretty big now, and those three guys are getting a lot of support even from people not directly involved with them. The Empress of course calls them terrorists, but when you've got people trying to change your cushy corrupt system, of course you'll call them anything to make the people hate them. 

"Anyway, the Armada hates these guys because they're sneaky bastards and they can never find them. However, apparently one of the various members of that group decides that he doesn't want equality for all people and just wants to be able to laze around and be rich and fat all day like the Upper Valuans. So what he does is he finds the Armada, and in return for leading them to the group's base, he gets a big reward and a place in Upper Valua and whatnot. Does this sound familiar _yet_, Ramirez?" 

Ramirez furrowed his brow slightly. It seemed like it should be... but he just couldn't quite put his finger on it. "No, it doesn't," he replied matter-of-factly, and added, "Why are you telling me this?" 

Miran scowled, his eyebrows furrowing. /_You can't fucking tell me he really doesn't remember, that—_/ Shutting his eyes, the dark-haired man took a few seconds to recompose himself, and surfaced with the same bitter smile as before. "Let's finish it up, then. The leader of the group, who was the grown-up version of that first boy from before, was out when the Armada came calling—you don't need to know the reason why, and I doubt you care anyway. Basically, what the Armada did with this group is they rounded everybody up for public execution, killing anyone who tried to fight back on the spot. 

"So while the leader was out, everything he and his brother and best friend had worked so hard for was wiped out in a day, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it, since he was alone, nobody had the guts to help him up because of the Armada's show of power, and the Armada had posted a wanted poster all over Valua featuring his handsome mug so he couldn't so much as walk out in public without getting accosted by soldiers. 

"And in closing, the leader's brother, best friend, and followers in their belief that Valua should be an equal society were all killed. The leader was chased for quite a while, but he managed to get away when he faked his own death. 

"See, what happened _there_ was he was being chased by Valuan soldiers, and he managed to hide in a house in Lower Valua. Them being the geniuses that they are, those soldiers decided to get the building on fire to flush him out. The leader was a smart guy, though, and he knew his way around Valua, so he managed to jump from the window of the burning building into the window of the building next door and escape that way, although he suffered a number of pretty serious cuts and burns from doing that. The soldiers let the place burn to the ground; basically, all they did was at least prevent the fire from spreading to any of the other surrounding houses. The leader's body was never recovered, but everyone just figured he'd been burnt to ashes. Is this sounding familiar _yet_?" 

It did. As if he had found a light switch after fumbling in the darkness, Ramirez remembered an incident involving some dissenting Lower Valuans who had finally worried the higher levels of the monarchy enough to warrant their destruction. He had been the head of the force that had arrested the rebels, as he had been Lord Galcian's Vice Captain at the time. He did indeed remember the incident with the fire... That man, the leader—what was his name?—had been presumed dead. He looked Miran over again, and suddenly recalled it... This man, Miran... he was the missing rebel leader! 

He narrowed his eyes slightly. "Yes, I believe it now has," he said icily. 

Miran smirked back frigidly. "It's about fucking time," he snapped, dipping his hands into his coat and drawing six throwing knifes, one between each finger. 

"Miran!!" Arianne gasped, her eyes wide. "What are you doing!? What are you talking about?!" 

"You haven't figured it out yet?!" the brown-eyed man snarled, now switching his glare at the blonde woman. "Arianne, weren't you paying attention?!" Now facing and pointing his blades at the silver-haired swordsman, he snarled, "This is Ramirez, Galcian's right-hand man!!" Jerking his head back to look at Arianne, he continued, "Don't you remember?! _He_ was in charge of that assault!! _HE'S the prick who killed Juan and Leo!!_" 

Arianne visibly paled, and slowly turned her head to stare at Ramirez, an expression of pure horror etched on her face. "You...." she managed to gasp, right before her eyes fluttered shut and she swayed, then collapsed to the floor. 

This startled Ramirez, to say the least, although he didn't allow his mask to be compromised. 

"What was _that_ all about?" he demanded, slowly drawing his sword. He didn't want a fight, but Miran already had weapons out, and Ramirez certainly wasn't going to be killed by a vengeful ex-rebel. 

"Oh, nothing much," he replied scornfully, his eyes hard. "Jake was my best friend, and Leo was my brother. Leo was also incidentally," and Miran jerked his head again to the fallen Upper Valuan, "_her_ lover." 

Ramirez blinked, taken aback. A Lower Valuan and an Upper Valuan in love? But here she was, and her reaction, more than anything, showed that what this man was saying was true. He regarded Miran coldly, trying judge his abilities as a fighter, and asked, "What do you want, then? Revenge?" 

"Revenge? Hah," Miran laughed coldly, moving into a fighting position. "If it were revenge, I'd make you suffer like I did back then. But seeing as you're Galcian's lapdog, I can't do that—so I'll settle for just killing you!!" 

Ramirez didn't show any reaction to the threat. "I don't have the time to waste on something like this. If you're smart, you'll leave now, and forget about this." His tone was emotionless, as if he were stating a simple fact. 

"Do you think I can forget about you KILLING EVERYONE I CARED ABOUT?!?" Miran snarled viciously, his brown eyes ablaze with animosity. "Are you really so fucking naïve to think that I'd just give up after what you did?!" The former rebel leader slashed the air with one of his daggers in one fluid, gale-like motion, and Ramirez, his eyes widening slightly, felt a slight wind brush the strands of his hair as that dagger rushed past his head, missing him only narrowly. 

"I," Miran said then, his face a mask of glacial antipathy, "will _never_ forgive you. And I'd never forgive myself if I didn't seize this chance, either." 

"So be it," the Admiral replied, his Yafutoman blade bared. "Just realize that you will not leave this place alive." 

He laughed a soft, hateful laugh. "I know I won't survive this fight," Miran replied with a voice that matched his show of mirth. "You're too strong. But if I can drag you down to Hell with me..." He threw three daggers simultaneously, one missing, one blocked by Ramirez's sword, and one scoring a slash on Ramirez's left thigh. "That'll be enough!!"  
  
  
  
"Hrrrrmph," Aika grumbled as she glared at the door to the Sailor's Guild, her arms crossed over her chest, tapping her right foot on the stone roads. Enrique and Vyse were both standing next to the Guild, with the former standing straight, his expression concerned, and the latter leaning against the building behind him, his arms folded behind his head. Fina was standing between them and Aika with Cupil hovering around her head, nervously glancing between her redheaded friend and the end of the street past the bridge, waiting for any signs of Ramirez. Nearby was a pair of merchants mumbling between themselves, glancing furtively around. 

"He's LATE!" Aika finally burst out, uncrossing her arms and planting her hands on her hips. "_Really_ late!" She turned to her male companions, adding, "I don't like this at all!" 

"...Do you think something might have happened?" Fina asked, looking once more down the street. "...I mean..." she trailed off, not finishing whatever she had been about to say. 

"Let's give him five more minutes, then go looking for him," Vyse said. "He wouldn't pick fights, but he might be held up somewhere, and we don't have a lot of time to spend hanging around here. I want to have enough time to stop by Doc's ship to give Maria's bird more Moonfish... We forgot to stop by the last time we were here, and I'm a little worried about it." 

Enrique stepped forward, his expression serious, and said, "I think we should look for him now." Flashing a look at Vyse, he continued, "I agree that Ramirez would not pick fights. However, he's an Admiral of the Armada and he's by himself. There are people who might be foolish enough to try to challenge him, either for glory or for a personal vendetta against Valua or even Ramirez himself... I'm not saying that that is what has happened, but if provoked, I don't doubt that Ramirez will kill," the young Prince added, "and I think that's something we'd all like to avoid." 

A tall male sailor paused then as he passed by the group to leave Sailor's Island. "Hey, I saw a couple of men fighting near the tower a little while ago," he commented. "They were _vicious_! I wanted to buy a new sword, but I didn't dare go near the weapon shop with them that close!" 

Everyone's attention was instantly on him. "Two men?" Aika repeated. "Was one of them kinda short, with white hair and a foreign sword?" 

"Yeah!" the sailor replied with a nod to the female rogue. "He's damn good, too. I'm getting out of here before it gets too out of hand." 

As the sailor left through the doors leading to the docks, Aika, Vyse, Enrique, and Fina all shared a look that carried the same basic emotion: 

_Well, shit._

"C'mon!" Vyse yelled, already starting to run. "Maybe it's not too late to break it up!" 

The group didn't need to be told twice; they were on Vyse's heels, hoping to the Moons that there wasn't too much carnage already.  
  
  
  
Elsewhere, Ramirez narrowly dodged another dagger thrown by Miran. The man was fast, and was good at keeping his distance, making this fight a little more challenging than he had thought it would be...but no matter. It would be over before too long. Miran had, after all, already sustained several cuts to the torso and one on the shoulder from when Ramirez had failed a decapitation strike—the ex-terrorist had struck _his_ shoulder with a dagger at that moment, throwing off his aim. 

He rushed at Miran then, hoping to catch him off guard, and end the combat. The thought occurred to him, not for the first time, it was a pity he didn't have his usual sword... 

"Ramirez!!" a voice cried behind him then—Arianne's voice, he recognized, and it startled him into slowing down long enough to allow Miran to dance away; this time, though, he didn't take the opportunity to grab any new daggers. Perhaps he was almost out? With that thought, he drove towards Miran once more. 

"Ramirez, Miran, please stop!!" Arianne pleaded, but this time Ramirez didn't hesitate, slashing at Miran's legs. Miran almost evaded that strike, but the blade caught him on his left leg, and he stumbled in pain, falling in the direction he had attempted to escape to. 

"PLEASE, stop!!" Arianne wailed, and Ramirez could hear her collapse to her knees, but he didn't care. Just one more strike, and— 

"RAMIREZ!!" 

The Silvite flinched and drew back to turn and face Vyse, flanked to his left by Aika and Fina and to his right by Enrique, all of them looking less than pleased. 

He glared at the Air Pirate and his friends, but at the same time let go of the blade in his hand, letting it fall to the ground with a clatter. "What?" he snapped, as Vyse stared at him. "This is what you want me to do, isn't it?" 

"Ramirez, I—" the captain of the Delphinus began, but his words were cut off by a snarl from Miran as he took that opportunity to whip a dagger back and throw it sharply at Ramirez's now unprotected stomach. 

The quick action caught the male Silvite off-guard, and it was only after the small blade plunged into his abdomen that he realized what had happened. Staring down at the wound, he couldn't help but think how stupid he had just been. It was _his_ fault... Vyse's fault. If he hadn't shown up, he wouldn't have made this mistake just now... 

"What the hell are you DOING?!" Vyse yelled then, running up and getting in between Ramirez and Miran, his cutlasses brought to bear before him. Miran had already scampered away and was holding his remaining daggers in front of himself. Aika quickly joined Vyse, while Fina ran to tend to Ramirez's wound, and Enrique quickly walked over to Arianne, who had buried her face into her hands and was sobbing hysterically. 

"I don't want to fight you," Miran said to Vyse, "so just get out of the way. This isn't your problem." 

"Like hell this isn't my problem!!" Vyse snapped. "You're trying to kill my friend!! You mess with him, you mess with me!" 

Miran stared at him incredulously. "Your friend? HIM? What kind of person are you?" 

Vyse blinked in surprise and frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?" 

"You don't know anything about him, do you?" the tall man replied, his eyes narrowing. "He's a murderer." 

"Of course he's a murderer, he's a soldier," Vyse said evenly, still keeping his cutlasses ready. "Soldiers kill people. That's the way things are. I'm not saying I like it or even agree with it, though—just that it doesn't mean he's a bad person." 

"...." Ramirez gazed with a sort of detached amazement at Vyse as Fina began to cast a Sacrulen spell on his wound. How was it that he could be that big of a contradiction...? 

Miran growled in frustration. "You don't understand! It's because of him that everything failed!" 

"Huh?" Vyse uttered, pausing in confusion. /_What the hell is he talking about?_/ he wondered. 

"...I, no, we were rebels... In Valua. But because of him... Don't you understand? He's the reason I lost everything!" Miran's tone became almost desperate, and he took a step forward. "So get out of my way!" 

"No way," Vyse stated firmly. "I don't care what your situation is; you don't start a fight in the middle of a crowded town!" 

Vyse's words fell on deaf ears. "I told you," Miran said as he tried to push past him, "to get out of my way!" 

"And _I_ told you no way!" Vyse yelled, pushing him away, moving back into a battle position. "Give up or get ready to fight!" 

Aika also moved into battle position herself, watching Vyse. She was desperately curious what this guy's deal was—he was a friend of Arianne's, she remembered seeing him with her—but, well... He was attacking Ramirez, and in the middle of Sailor's Isle, too. As much as she wasn't fond of the Admiral, that was going too far. 

Miran fell into a defensive stance. "Then I've got no choice! Prepare yourself!" he yelled. 

"Miran, _please_, _stop!!_" Arianne begged, now appearing by Aika's side with Enrique, her hair mussed and her panicked eyes filled with tears. "_Please!!_" 

Miran looked over at her, and almost seemed to waver for a moment, but shook his head. "I'm sorry...but I have to get revenge, for Leo's sake!" he said. 

"Do you think this would make Leo happy?!" the golden-haired pianist cried, taking a step forward. "You'll get yourself killed at this rate! You're already badly injured! Do you think Leo would have wanted you to die for his sake?!" 

"..." Miran was silent for a moment, as if pondering something, and then shook his head. "Arianne, stay out of this." 

"You're tearing up the city, and you expect your companions to stay _out_ of it?!" a demanding woman's voice sounded. The crowd turned to see the two women from Arianne's crew, one blonde, the other with dark brown hair; the blonde woman had spoken, and was glaring, her arms akimbo, at Miran with murderous cerulean eyes. "Miran, who do you think we are?!" 

"Stay out of it, Rosa!" he snapped in reply. "You have even less reason to get involved, you painted upper-class bitch!!" 

"_Miran_!!" the brown-haired woman gasped as her companion looked utterly scandalized. "How can you talk to Rosalind that way?!" 

"It's surprisingly easy, Tierra," Miran replied icily. "It's not your business, so stay the hell out of it." 

"But..." the small brunette started, only to be silenced with a cold glare from Miran. 

"You..." Rosalind began, trembling in fury, "...you...YOU!! How dare you speak to me that way, you, you _ruffian_?!" 

"Learn to fucking curse right before you try to bitch me out," Miran sneered in reply. 

The blonde violinist just stared at him, mouth working wordlessly. 

"Stop it!" Arianne cried suddenly, burying her face in her hands. "Please...just stop it!" 

Glancing over at the pianist, Tierra glared at Miran, her face stricken. "Are you really going to make Arianne cry like this?" she queried quietly. 

Miran silently shook his head, a grim look on his face. 

"You're going to keep going?" the petite brunette queried, her voice trembling slightly. "Even though you know you're hurting Arianne, even after what she's done for you?" 

The tall rebel stared at Tierra, and time seemed to slow as his gaze fell upon each person in turn, lingering upon Arianne. Then...he slowly released his grip on his daggers and let them fall to the ground. 

"...This isn't over," he said after they finished clattering. "Ramirez, I swear to you this isn't over. I will get revenge, one day..." 

As Miran and his companions were verbally battling, Ramirez had paused, his hand on the hilt of the dagger, and took a breath before starting to remove it. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he couldn't help but tense up as he pulled the weapon out. As the dagger came free from his abdomen, the wound began to bleed rather copiously, and he pressed his hand against it in response. A slight burning sensation followed a few breaths later, as internal organs and tissues began to mend due to the healing spell Fina had cast, followed by skin as the wound closed completely. It would be a while before they were all healed completely, as was the norm for the Sacres line of spells, but it would be all right before long. Even without the healing, this was nothing compared to another wound he'd sustained in the same area... 

At Miran's words, he glared up at the ex-terrorist. "Get over yourself," Ramirez replied tersely before shifting his eyes to Fina. She glanced at him briefly, then sadly lowered her eyes. 

"I'll be fine," he told her firmly, but her eyes remained downcast. 

He sighed, slightly irritated, before glancing over at Arianne. She was still crying, but she looked up back at him. Her expression was...angry, and hurt. He supposed he didn't blame her, after finding out he'd arrested her lover... 

She averted her gaze, then turned back to her knife-wielding companion. "Miran," she said quietly, wiping at her eyes, "you're injured. Let's go back to the inn so you can get healed up..." 

Miran nodded mutely, but glared over at Ramirez before heading off with Arianne. The group watched the two go, followed by their crewmates, who glanced back at the crowd but said nothing either to them or to each other. When they had entered the inn, greeted by a brown-haired young man with a worried expression, and left sight, Vyse and company all turned to face the green-eyed Admiral. 

"What exactly was going on, Ramirez?" Enrique inquired calmly. 

Ramirez sighed. "He wants me dead, isn't it obvious?" he said, unenthused. The day had _not_ gone well at all. 

"But _why_ does he want you dead?" Aika asked dryly, leaning on her boomerang. "'Cause I'm sure people attack you randomly all the time!" 

The sixth Admiral glared at her. "Apparently I arrested his brother, who was later executed," he explained. 

"Woah," Vyse uttered, his eyes going wide with surprise. "No wonder he hates you so much!" 

Ramirez decided not to mention that said brother was also Arianne's lover. "It happened a long time ago," he said with a slight shrug. 

Aika just shook her head. "He's crazier than you, attacking you in the middle of the city like that," she remarked. 

Ramirez gave her a _look_, then stood. "I don't want to stay here any longer," he stated. 

"Are you all right otherwise?" Vyse queried, frowning slightly as he checked the white-haired swordsman over. 

"I'm fine," Ramirez said flatly. 

The brunet rogue shared glances with his other companions, then shrugged. "Okay, let's go then," he said firmly. "We've got to get going as soon as possible." Continuing on mostly to himself, as if reciting a mental checklist, he murmured, "Got to get those weapons, then stop by Doc's to drop off those Moonfish, then..." 

Ramirez stiffened suddenly at the mention of the name of Doc, the rest of Vyse's words going unheard, but he quickly relaxed. It couldn't possibly be the same person, he told himself. 

At least, he hoped it wasn't...  
  
  
  
The young Admiral sat on the floor of Vyse's cabin, working on repairing the tears in his uniform. He had told the others that he did not want to go along with them, that he 'was not in a good mood'. Well, it was true. Moreover, if the 'Doc' they were stopping to visit was the same person... well, he really didn't want to see him. Not after what had happened... He shook his head, as if to shake the memories from his head. But of course, it didn't work, and as he sewed, he brooded over the first and greatest betrayal he had suffered in his life on Arcadia... 

He paused when he had finished with his pants, holding them up and inspecting them. Washing the blood out hadn't been a fun task, but fortunately, there hadn't been much. It could be ignored. In addition, although he hadn't had much experience with it, Ramirez was dexterous, and that helped in his clothing repair. It wasn't obvious if you didn't look closely, and that was as good as it was going to get, so Ramirez allowed himself to accept that. He could get it properly fixed when he went back to Valua... 

As he worked, his thoughts turned to Vyse and what would happen if the Doc he had mentioned _was_ the Doc he knew. If his name never came up in conversation, he would be safe, for neither would know to talk about him—but if it _did_, then he could say goodbye to the privacy of his past. Doc knew far too much about it, and what he didn't know, Vyse already did. The thought of Vyse learning so much about him unsettled Ramirez... That wasn't including all the unnecessary things Fina had been saying about him behind his back, either. 

The Silvite swordsman frowned deeply. That Vyse... He kept going around prying into his business. It was likely he'd never stop until his curiosity was satisfied, either; children never want to stop learning, after all, Ramirez thought dryly. But at the least, his curiosity could be curbed. If he were somehow to control what he learned... But that would be impossible—he couldn't keep Vyse from talking to either Fina or Doc—unless... 

/_If I could cut a deal with him,_/ Ramirez mused, pausing in his work, /_then I could keep him from learning anything unnecessary. Vyse, if anything, is at least honorable enough to keep a promise..._/ 

He began to work again as he planned, and when he had mended his clothes as well as he could, he dressed, and went over to the window. It wouldn't be too much longer until he could return to Valua; perhaps only a week or two. He sighed, gazing out the window, as he thought over the events of the day. Why was it that his past always came back to haunt him? Even little things... Even things he hadn't thought of as consequential at the time...even things that he's tried his damnedest to bury. 

The door opened and in walked Vyse. Though Ramirez wasn't facing the door, he could tell from the clopping of his boots and his cheerful humming. 

"Hey, Ramirez!" he called. The Silvite swordsman didn't react, so he went on, "You feeling any better now?" 

/_Of course I'm not,_/ he thought to himself, but replied, "A little." It would keep him from worrying, in any case. 

"That's good to hear." Ramirez could picture perfectly the easygoing grin that Vyse surely wore. A creaking of springs as the Blue Rogue sat down on his bed, and then, "You should have come with us, Ramirez." 

"...Really," he replied, his tone its usual neutral. 

"It turns out Doc's an old friend of yours," Vyse went on. "I was pretty surprised when he mentioned you. Weird coincidence, huh?" 

Ramirez stiffened. 

"...Uh, Ramirez?" Vyse ventured after his companion didn't respond for a few minutes. 

"....Vyse, leave me alone." He knew it was trite, but... there was no way he was going to talk about that with anyone. Not even him. 

There were several seconds of silence. Perhaps Vyse was stunned, or surprised...perhaps he was confused. Ramirez wasn't sure until the younger man spoke next. 

"This is another one of those things you don't think I'll understand, huh." 

Ramirez looked at Vyse over his shoulder. "It's none of your business." 

Vyse was watching him, frowning unhappily. "You're still saying that," he said, disappointed. 

"But it doesn't involve you. Therefore, it's not your problem," the silver-haired man replied. 

"How is it a problem?" Vyse protested, standing up and gesturing with his arms to make his point. "Doc said nothing but good things about you." 

"I don't care what he said,"Ramirez replied, gazing out the window once more, "I don't want to talk about this with you." 

Vyse pursed his lips for a moment, then walked over to him and stopped by his side to view the same sky. It wasn't long, though, before he glanced over at Ramirez and quietly asked, "Does this have anything to do with Admiral Mendosa?" 

Ramirez did not reply, his face a blank mask. 

There was a moment more of silence before Vyse tried a different tactic, regaining a friendly smile. "Say, I've been wondering," he began, "how did you and Galcian meet? Doc didn't mention that." 

Ramirez closed his eyes. "Vyse, leave me alone," he said, a hint of anger behind his words. 

Vyse rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "...Sorry," he said quietly, still trying to smile. 

Opening his eyes again, Ramirez silently gazed out the window. He did not acknowledge Vyse's comment in any way. 

/_...Shit,_/ Vyse swore, sweating. It looked like he'd made Ramirez's bad day worse, and now the Silvite was _snubbing_ him. Wonderful. "Look, I'm sorry, okay?" he tried again. "I didn't mean to get you upset or anything." 

Ramirez momentarily glanced over at Vyse, before looking back out the window again. "...Please, just leave me alone." 

There was another awkward moment of silence before Vyse turned to the door. "I guess we'd better get going, then," he said. "It looks like you've got your clothes fixed up, so back to work, all right?" 

Ramirez nodded once, then turned away from the window to follow him. 

The rest of the day passed normally, with much sailing and fighting monsters off of the deck. The trip back to Crescent Isle didn't take very long at all, although it was dark by the time they returned. 

Vyse glanced over at Ramirez. The male Silvite had been quiet again, and this time he knew why. It was because of what he had said to him earlier. Though part of him still burned to know why it upset Ramirez so much, he knew that he would have to apologize and forget about. 

So, as they were debarking and walking into the internal port in Crescent Isle, he walked up alongside Ramirez and said, "Ramirez, I—" 

"Please don't apologize," the other replied before he could even finish. "There's no need for it." 

Vyse sighed. "Look, I know I upset you, so I just wanted to apologize," he replied. 

"I notice you spend a lot of time apologizing for one thing or another as far as I'm concerned," Ramirez noted. "Does that tell you anything?" 

"...What do you mean?" Vyse asked, "I mean, I'm not very good at saying the right things, so..." 

"I have to disagree with you there, but that's another story. In any case," Ramirez said with remarkable patience, stopping and pulling Vyse aside once they had completely disembarked, "what I mean is that perhaps you should just stop trying. We are not and cannot be friends. You can't possibly expect something like that from me." 

Shaking his head, Vyse replied, looking the Silvite right in the eyes, "Hey... look, maybe I said too much before... I know you don't want me to say we're friends—conflicting loyalties and all... But Ramirez, I don't care if you're working for Galcian. I want to be your friend anyway." He smiled slightly before finishing, "Okay?" 

Ramirez, unsure of what to say to that, continued to gaze up at the taller young man without a word. 

There was a brief moment of silence before Vyse spoke again, "I know, I know, I'm pushing it. Again. But damn it, Ramirez... Sometimes I really get sick of seeing you like this. I want to help you. But you make it so hard!" 

The pale young man's face hardened slightly but perceptively, and he inquired evenly, "What if I don't want to be helped?" 

The Blue Rogue shrugged slightly. "I'll have to figure out another way, then." He smiled. "Even if I have to do it against your will." 

"And how will you do that?" Ramirez queried, his expression not changing. 

"...I guess I'll just have find that out," Vyse replied. 

The powerful swordsman shut his eyes and exhaled a small breath, then opened his eyes again to gaze at Vyse piercingly. "You can't help me," he stated flatly. 

"Do you know that, or are you just telling yourself that?" Vyse asked, his expression neutral. 

Ramirez honestly didn't know the answer. There were times when he felt as if he could let Vyse close—closer than anyone—and then there were times when reality politely knocked on the door of his mind and courteously informed him that duty came before emotion after slapping him across the face. He felt almost as if he could trust Vyse, as Ramirez now believed that he was sincere...but in one or two weeks, that would be a moot point. He would betray Vyse, Vyse would hate him forever, he would return back to Lord Galcian's side and all things would return to the way they should be. 

...But did he really want it to be that way... 

Vyse regarded him as he stood there, as silent as he had been earlier. Realizing a reply was not forthcoming, he said, "...Well... I'll leave you alone for now, okay? I guess you need some time to yourself. Most people wouldn't be in a good mood after a day like this." 

Ramirez nodded mutely, and the brown-eyed pirate turned to leave. 

"Wait." Vyse hadn't even taken three steps before he heard his companion speak up. He turned, blinking, and Ramirez continued, his expression unreadable, "What...did Doc tell you?" 

"...I thought you didn't care what he had to say about you," Vyse said, raising an eyebrow. 

"I don't," Ramirez lied tersely. "I only care about what you know." 

Vyse shrugged. "He just told us that he knew you from when you both worked under Mendosa. And..." Vyse paused before continuing, "...that you were a kind and honest man." 

"...Heh," Ramirez chuckled. "And how does that match up with what you think you know about me?" 

"Hmm..." Vyse looked over Ramirez once before continuing, "Well, sometimes I see the person he described, and sometimes, well, I don't." 

The jade-eyed swordsman glanced away, reflecting on the other's words. It was a fair enough evaluation... 

"Well," Vyse said with a small sigh, "Unless you have something else you want to say, I'll leave you be." 

A small smile, and a slight shaking of the head. "Vyse, I'll make you a deal," he began quietly, recalling his thoughts earlier. "I don't want you to talk to Doc about me anymore...or Fina, for that matter. However, I can't force you from doing so. So what I'm propositioning is that if you want to know something about me, come to me and ask. If it means keeping you from talking about me behind my back, I'm willing to answer honestly." He looked up, his expression cool. "However, there's one condition. You can only ask about my life before I came down to Arcadia. Since I've been here for nearly eight years, let's call it the eight-year rule. If the answer to a given question refers to that period of time in my life, I will invoke the eight-year rule and you will drop your inquiry without complaint or needling. Does this sound fair?" 

Vyse blinked, a little taken aback by the suddenness. "...All right, then. I agree," he replied. 

"Don't misunderstand," Ramirez added, shutting his eyes. "Your tendency to speak with other people about me has bothered me for a long time. If I have you talk to strictly me, then at least I can control what you learn to some extent." 

"Well, you do seem to like your privacy..." Vyse mused aloud. 

"I value privacy _very highly_," Ramirez stressed. 

The Blue Rogue sweated a little. "Yeah..." he said in a sort of non-reply before continuing, "In any case, I'm fine with what you suggested. Besides, you'll tell me one of these days, right?" 

A wan, but sincere, smile. /_The silly little fool will never learn... But I'm willing to play along for the little bit of time we have left together. At the very least, I could treasure the illusion that we were once "friends". It might not be so bad..._/ 

"One of these days," he agreed, his smile and expression growing warmer just a bit.   
  


* * *

  
**NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal Arcadia_ [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong. 

**Ayu:** If you're re-reading this chapter, you'll notice that some of the OCs' names have been changed. This is because Valuans are supposed to have Spanish names, but I didn't think of that when I named them, because I'm an idiot. Fidel used to be Arthur, Tierra used to be Noelle, Rosalind used to be Catalina, Leo is now short for Leonardo instead of Leonidas, and Juan used to be Jake/Jacob. Arianne and Miran keep their names because they've already had rather major scenes, and changing their names now would be rather awkward. The others haven't been bequeathed nearly so much attention, so I'm more willing to go back and change them than I am our more feature OCs. 

**Ayu:** The lyric-title this time is taken from the X Japan song, _Tears_. Full lyrics can be found, as always, at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!_, the link to which you can find below. 

**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com   
**Contact Ianthe of d.I:** ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))   
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net))


	12. Chapter 12: Aishite Mite yo, Kizuato wo ...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  
**Chapter 12:** Ai-shite Mite yo, Kizuato wo Nokoshite yo  
(_Try to Love Me, Leave Behind Your Scars_)

  
  
  
  


The installation of the Delphinus' new engine took a week and required the combined efforts of all of Vyse's crew. Even Ramirez participated, doing as he was asked and never complaining, and with everyone's help, the operation went completely smoothly. There were incidents during it, though, such as on the third day, when Aika had convinced Fina to finally implement the plan they had devised on the way back from the Lands of Ice. 

It had begun after the day's work had ended and everyone was heading to their respective rooms and beds to rest for the night. As they were heading for the metal stairs to the railway leading out of the dock for the Delphinus, Ramirez and Vyse were conversing, many of their words centering on the next day's work. As they walked, Vyse's crewmates all made it a point to hail him and bid him goodnight, with a smile and words in return for their troubles. 

"You certainly are popular, Vyse," Ramirez had noted when they were climbing the stairs. "Everyone loves you, it seems." 

Vyse laughed. "I don't know about that," he replied. "I think it's just everyone being friendly, especially since I'm their captain." 

"They like you, though," the Silvite swordsman insisted, "and I don't think it's just friendliness. Or did you not notice how they would greet you first and then me as an afterthought, if at all?" 

"What, are you jealous?" Vyse grinned. "You just intimidate them, what with your reputation and all. I bet most of them figure you'd just scowl at them if they tried to say hello, so they try to stay out of your way. See, that's what you've wanted up 'til now, isn't it? For people to leave you alone, I mean. But if you want people to treat you well, you have to be nice to them too. After all, who'd want to be friends with someone who'd be more likely to beat them up than to smile at them?" 

"You would, apparently," Ramirez countered dryly. "Even when I continued my hostilities, you kept trying to win my amity. Even in Yafutoma, you weren't angered for more than a couple of days before you forgave me. Most people would have simply continued to hate me." 

The young captain laughed again. "Well, that's 'cause you gave me a reason to believe in you!" he replied, waving a hand to punctuate his statement. "You didn't want to go back with the Valuans, and that says a lot. It's our choices that make who we are, and you chose to stay with us. So when you did that, I realized if you were willing to take that kind of gamble, I had to, too—and it reminded me that I never give up. Ever! Not on anything or anybody, and not on you. _Especially_ not on you!" 

Ramirez stopped and stared at Vyse then with soft eyes, rendered temporarily speechless. The Blue Rogue stopped a few steps later, looking back from the mouth of the cave, the night sky spread out in front of him. 

"What?" Vyse asked when several silent seconds had passed. 

"...Why...why am I that important to you?" Ramirez queried quietly, his gaze on the young pirate. 

The brown-haired rogue grinned and shrugged a bit. "You're my friend," he replied. "All my friends are important to me." 

"But why do you ever consider me to be a friend in the first place?" Ramirez insisted, taking a step closer to Vyse. 

He rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks beginning to redden. "Heh, I guess to you, it wouldn't make sense, huh?" Vyse laughed, eyes shut. "Well...it's 'cause I like you." 

Speechless, Ramirez continued to stare at Vyse, nearly unable to believe what he had just heard. He crossed his arms, if only to focus on an action rather than the warm feeling growing in his chest. It wasn't a fluttering or quickening heartbeat, no nervous reaction from when he was confused; just a warmth he couldn't name, a warmth he hadn't felt in years—so many years... 

/_This warm feeling... Please, what names do people call it?_/ 

"Sorry for saying such weird things," Vyse added then, glancing out at the night sky, his face blocked from Ramirez's sight. "But...well, you _did_ ask." 

"Haha... You shouldn't worry about it," Ramirez said. Fondly smiling then at Vyse, he resumed, "Because I like you, too." 

"Huh...?" Vyse uttered, swinging his head around to stare at Ramirez, stunned. 

The Silvite swordsman chuckled, though the sound was not derisive, and walked up a few steps to join Vyse. "You're reckless..." he began, gazing out at the blinking stars, "unrefined and hopeless. You have the common sense of a Looper...always getting into fights that should be impossible to win. You're a complete idiot, and a pirate besides. By all rights, I should loathe you." 

"Gee, _thanks_," the rogue interjected, but Ramirez ignored the comment. 

"But..." He turned to meet Vyse's gaze, and with a small smile, finished, "Somehow, I like you anyway." 

"...Ramirez..." Vyse murmured, the breeze swaying his bangs across his face. The two stood there quietly for nearly a minute longer, regarding each other with gentle eyes. How long they would have remained that way remained unknown, since Aika spoke up then. 

"Hmmmmm..." she smirked amusedly, having been watching them from several feet behind for the past several seconds. The two men, startled, stared at her as she inquired, her left arm akimbo and her right arm hanging at her side, "Are you two having a moment? Should I come back later?" 

"Wh-wh-what are you talking about, Aika?" Vyse stammered, waving a hand, his expression somewhere between embarrassed and alarmed. "We weren't doing anything, really—" 

"Oh, is THAT why you look so guilty, then?" she grinned. 

"Idiot," Ramirez muttered. 

"Aikaaaa!" Vyse protested, turning to face her. "That's not funny!!" 

Aika just laughed at the two. "Relax, I'm just kidding," she reassured him before turning to Ramirez. "I came to give this guy a message." 

"...What is it?" the silver-haired man inquired, slightly annoyed by her use of 'this guy'. 

"Fina asked me to tell you to go to the balcony outside the meeting room," Aika replied cheerfully. "She said she's gonna be waiting for you there, and that she has something to talk to you about alone. Don't make her wait, okay?" 

Looking first at Aika, then at Vyse, Ramirez merely shrugged; he could do little else. "All right. Thank you," he said before leaving for the lift that would take him where Fina was said to be waiting. 

When he was gone, Vyse turned to his friend. "Aika, did Fina _really_ tell you that? You're acting...kind of weird." 

"Heh. Yeah, sort of. Don't worry, Fina'll be there," Aika replied smugly. "I made sure of that." 

Vyse gave her a Look. "Aika, what are you plotting?" he demanded. 

"Plotting? _Me_?" the orange-haired girl repeated, feigning injury. "Vyse, I'm hurt that you would think _I'm_ plotting something." 

Making a disgusted face, Vyse just shook his head. "I'm not gonna ask," he muttered. "I'm just gonna go to bed." 

"That's the spirit!" Aika cheered. "Get a good night's rest before we start working again tomorrow, all right? If we can keep up with the schedule, just four more days 'til we're done!" 

Vyse grinned at that. "Yeah; it'll be great when we get that engine installed," he submitted. "Don't 'cause too much mischief, all right, Aika?" Waving and walking on ahead, he said, "G'night." 

"Where do you think you're going without me?" Aika inquired playfully, following him. "I'm heading to bed too, you know." 

The two laughed together and passed by the balcony leading to the meeting room without thinking of it, certainly not realizing that Ramirez was watching them. 

The green-eyed Silvite glowered at them sullenly as Fina gazed at his back, her hands clasped before her. Why had Aika had to come then, anyway? He had gotten into such a good mood from talking to Vyse, and he definitely didn't want to talk to his childhood friend... Telling himself that, Ramirez ignored the pangs of jealousy. 

"Ramirez...?" Fina spoke up then. 

"Ah...right," he replied, turning to her, changing his face into an inexpressive mask. "What was it you wanted to talk to me about, Fina?" 

She walked over to the bench and sat down, then smiled up at her old friend expectantly, who suppressed a sigh and joined her. Pushing one of her bangs out of her face, Fina then turned her green eyes out to the expanse of night. "It's just...I wanted to be with you," she murmured, her cheeks growing pink. "You know, it's been a long time since you joined us," she commented. 

He shrugged. "It can't be much more than a lunar cycle or thereabouts." 

"Really?" she smiled. "It feels like much longer than that. We've seen so many different things together already, though... And we have Vyse to thank for it, too." Looking over at him, Fina continued, "I'm really glad I met him...and Aika, and everyone, too. I don't know what happened to you down here, Ramirez, but if there's anyone you can trust...it's definitely them." 

He simply sighed and gazed at her. "Somehow I get the feeling we've had this conversation before," he remarked. "Don't you have anything new to say? It can't just be about them," he added at her crestfallen expression. "What did you _really_ want?" 

"Er...yes," she murmured, blushing at the ease with which he saw through her. "Ramirez, do...do you remember when Hahaue died?" 

His eyebrows twitched slightly as sorrow from that memory flitted across his face. Looking away at the Red half-Moon, he quietly stated, "...I remember." 

_She looks so peaceful... That's what young Ramirez had thought, his emotions strangely suspended, as he had looked down upon her in her crystalline coffin, child Fina sobbing into his side, clutching at his right hand as if afraid he too would die if she did not. He knew he should feel sad, should be upset, should be crying...should be doing _something_, but he wasn't. He merely stood there, his eyes on Hahaue's tranquil face. Had he not known much better, he might have thought she were simply asleep._

_The Elders had always said that death was not a thing to be feared, that it was a natural process of life. Having well studied biology along with cartography and ship anatomy, Ramirez did not doubt this. But...if it wasn't a big deal...if it was natural...why was Fina crying? Why did he feel so empty? Why did he want to see Hahaue open her eyes, smile at him again, tell him it would be all right, let him rest his head on her lap, stroke his hair, sing to him? Why...why did he want her to be alive so badly?_

_Grief came to him in one giant wave, and he barely choked back his anguish._

_"Fina..." he whispered, turning to kneel down and hug the younger girl. "Fina, don't cry." Pushing her away to look her in the face, trying to assuage his own misery by comforting her, he pleaded, "Don't cry, Fina..."_

_"B-but, Ramirez," she cried, her mint green eyes wavering with huge drops of tears, "Hahaue...Hahaue's..."_

_"Don't cry, Fina!" he repeated fiercely, though in truth he wanted to cry too. "You'll make her sad! See?" Pointing at her body and making sure Fina was looking, he continued, "Does she look sad?"_

_Sniffling and wiping at her eyes, Fina shook her head. "No..." she said in a tiny voice._

_"Do you want to make her sad?"_

_"No!" she yelled. "I absolutely don't wanna make her sad!!"_

_"Then don't cry," Ramirez told her in the best soothing voice he could muster under the circumstances. "Hahaue's free! She's been sick for a long, long time, and now she's free. She's happy! She's not suffering anymore! But if you're sad, then she'll get sad...so wipe away your tears, all right?" Brushing away some of them for her, he repeated, "All right?"_

_Fina screwed up her face, then threw herself onto Ramirez, hugging him desperately. "I don't want her to go!!" she sobbed, clutching at his clothes. "No, no, no, nooo!!"_

_"Fina, STOP IT!!" Ramirez yelled, embracing her, fighting back tears of his own. "Stop it!! She's already gone!! There's nothing you can do but accept it!"_

_"But it's not fair!!" she cried. "Why did she have to leave us?! We were happy!! Wasn't she happy being with us?!"_

_He held her more tightly, now unable to stop wetness from overflowing and spilling down his cheeks. "_You're_ the one not being fair!" he shouted. "She was in a lot of pain! Now she's not! Did you want her to suffer on our account?!"_

_"NO!" she cried, beating her small fists against Ramirez's back. "But I didn't want her to die! I wanted her to get bette-e-e-er......"_

_"Fina, it'll be okay," he desperately reassured her as she wailed. "It'll be okay! I'm here, aren't I? We have each other, right? You're not alone! I'm with you! I'll protect you, all right? So don't cry! We'll always be together!!"_

_She continued to sob, but Fina heard him, and nodded, swiping futilely at her face. Ramirez, relieved at that at least, hugged her again, but when he looked again at Hahaue, his tears flowed again. Fina didn't speak for the rest of the day; she only wept bitterly until she couldn't weep any longer, even when Hahaue's coffin was sealed away by the Elders, who had merely allowed the two to look at her body, now forever silenced, one last time, to remind them that death was unimportant. So wrapped up in her own emotions had she been that Fina had never noticed Ramirez crying, watching the woman who had been a mother to him be locked away in a panel and shuffled back, like a single card in a deck of cards, deep inside the Great Silver Shrine._

_Behind him, he heard Elder Prime impart kind words to Fina, who only sniffled, before escorting her back to her room. To him only came Elder Orbit, who frowned at him from his side._

_"Ramirez," he said, "you are a young man. Men do not cry."_

_Had it been any other time, Ramirez would have snapped that he _was_ crying, and he was a man, so men _did_ cry, but he had no energy then to resist as was his norm. "Yes, sir," he merely mumbled, rubbing at his face._

_Elder Orbit had regarded him approvingly. "Your sword lessons are at the usual time, as always," he reminded the younger Silvite. "I trust you won't use this as an excuse to skip again."_

_"No, sir," Ramirez replied faintly. "I'll be there, sir."_

_"If you skip, you'll be punished," Orbit reminded him again._

_"I know, sir," Ramirez said dully. "I'll be there, sir."_

_"Good," Orbit said, pleased. "Elder Prime will be waiting for you, then." And with that, he left._

_Ramirez remained there, his eyes downcast; for how long, he couldn't say. He didn't know if the other Elders even so much as glanced at him; he knew none of them bothered to say anything to him, though. Perhaps there was nothing they felt they had to say; perhaps they thought any words they could say would be wasted on him. Life, as it was, would continue, and it didn't matter. Nothing mattered._

_Hahaue was dead._

_Eventually, Ramirez trudged back to his room to prepare for his lessons. Although—or perhaps because—he was a prodigy at the blade, even at his young age of fifteen, the Elders insisted on having him practice daily and train at learning new techniques. He was a blade adept, they said; his swordsmanship was a treasure that would serve them all one day, they said. Therefore, he should work continuously to be stronger and stronger, in order to defend Silvitekind. From what, they never specified._

_Ramirez liked his sword, Ilazki, certainly; he sometimes felt as if it protected him, that it would keep him safe from harm. However, he was far more interested in his studies than in becoming a master swordsman, in learning more and more about Arcadia, in someday traveling there. Although the Elders encouraged him to further his studies, pleased by his thirst for knowledge, they looked down at his desire to visit the world below, reminding him constantly of the evils of humanity._

_He didn't believe them. He didn't want to believe them. Whether their doctrines were true or false, he would confirm it with his own eyes and hands, and if it was true, he would accept their doctrines._

_Coming to a halt, Ramirez gazed at the blue Arcadia, and smiled sadly._

_"There..." he murmured, "there, will they accept me? Will there be people who understand me? People I can trust and depend on? People who won't let me feel...this alone?"_

_His smile melting away, he shifted his eyes down to his feet, and began to walk again._

_The Elders didn't care about him. They cared about Fina, but not about him—just his abilities. Ramirez realized that a long time ago, which only fueled his independent streak. Now, though...there was no one to comfort him when he desperately needed it. Hahaue was dead. Fina wouldn't protect him; she couldn't. _He_ was supposed to protect_ her_. Hadn't he told her that?_

_He couldn't keep fighting the Elders; now, more than ever, they controlled his life. He couldn't ask anyone to help him, and there was no one on whom he could depend._

_He was alone._

"Yes..." Ramirez murmured, his eyes, fixed on the railing, reflecting dour resentment. "I remember it well. What of it?" 

"...I don't know if you remember this part, but..." Fina murmured, nervously pushing a bang out of her face. "You...you said you'd protect me. That we'd always be together..." 

Ramirez smirked mirthlessly. "Heh..." he muttered. "I'm surprised you remember that. You were so upset, I'm surprised you remember anything of that day." 

Taking a deep breath, Fina edged a little closer to her childhood friend. "Ramirez..." she said softly, "I know when you left the Great Silver Shrine almost eight years ago, you had no choice. You had a duty to perform, and even though I was upset, after you had left, I came to understand the importance of what you were doing, and I waited for you." Leaning in to him, resting a hand on his shoulder as he leaned back, glowering at his knees, she continued, "I believed in you, even as the years passed and we received no word from you. I believed that you would never choose not to come back, and that something terrible must have happened to you to keep you from returning. But—" 

"But you were wrong," Ramirez replied brusquely, snapping his gaze up to stare straight out into the sky. "I chose to stay on Arcadia. I chose to stay with Lord Galcian. I _chose_ to abandon you." Shutting his eyes, his forehead creased, uncertain but suspicious of Fina's devastated expression, the young swordsman continued, "I thought you would be safe up in the Shrine. Even if you were alone, the Elders favored you; they still favor you, do they not? They would give you anything you desired; all you would have to do is express that desire. You would not be treated ill, I was certain." He smirked. "I never imagined they would send you down here to finish my mission, though. I suppose their desperation to collect the Crystals overrode their desire to pamper the last female Silvite." Looking over at her, his eyes dark, he continued, "They didn't give you any training before sending you down here, aside from learning a few spells, did they?" 

Mutely, Fina shook her head. "...Everything I've learned about fighting, I learned by fighting with Vyse and Aika," she replied, her voice subdued. "They sent me as soon as they came to their decision. They told me they'd been deliberating on it for years, though..." 

"Ha, I imagine they would have," he said dryly. "When you die, Fina, that moment will mark the end of the Silvite race." 

"...I—" 

"Incidentally," Ramirez interrupted her, "do you know what your mission parameters are?" 

"What?" Fina said, confused. "I...we were both sent down here to find and retrieve the five Moon Crystals and bring them to the Great Silver Shrine, so that the Elders could seal them in a place where nobody could misuse them again." 

"I see," he said dryly. "I was just curious. I notice you said 'five' Crystals, though. Where do you think the sixth is?" 

Shaking her head, Fina queried, "What are you talking about, Ramirez? You know as well as I do that the Silver Moon Crystal is already on the Great Silver Shrine!" 

"Ha! Oh, yes, it is certainly on the Shrine," Ramirez laughed. "Do you know _where_ on the Shrine it is? Have you ever seen it?" 

Staring at him, completely confused, Fina uttered, "What? I don't understand what you're talking about... No, I haven't seen it, but that's because it's sealed away somewhere in the Great Silver Shrine, right?" 

Her childhood friend simply laughed, and the cold sound of it frightened her. What did he know that she didn't? "Yes, it's on the Silver Shrine," he told her when he had finished. "But it's not where you think it is." Now deadly serious, he glared at her, saying, "The Elders didn't tell you anything, did they? They just said, 'Fina, take over Ramirez's mission,' and sent you down here, didn't they?" Looking away at the Red Moon, he continued, "Were they _trying_ to get you killed? I wonder." 

"Ramirez, please don't talk like that," she begged, clutching as she had ten years ago at her old friend's clothing, her eyes beseeching. "Please...please..." Resting her head on Ramirez's shoulder, she began to weep. 

The silver-haired swordsman glanced back down at her, temporarily at a loss of words. He had definitely gone too far, he realized now... Awkwardly, he raised his left arm to hold Fina, though he knew he wouldn't be able to comfort her, and rested his face against the crown of her head. 

Eyes on the heavens, allowing Fina to weep into his uniform, Ramirez thought sourly of the girl who had been like a younger sister to him through his childhood. 

/_She's as spoiled now as she was then,_/ he bitterly groused. /_Why do I comfort her? ...Yes, the betrayal. But there's no justice in this existence. I did nothing but tell her the truth, and she believes she has the leisure of crying. When _I_ was told the truth, the unvarnished truth of the Silvites, I had only one choice: to accept it. I had no option to grieve, to disbelieve, to refuse; the Elders would not have allowed it. I was given a mission, and I was told the truth, and I was to fulfill it without delay. They never thought of me as anything more than a tool to actualize their ideals and judgments...and yet they all doted on Fina, never expecting anything from her but her happiness and good health._/ Narrowing his eyes into trembling slits and clenching his hands into fists, he demanded, /_Why did they hate _me_ and love Fina?! Why should Fina be treated any better than me?! Why is Fina _STILL _treated better than me?!_/ 

It was then that Ramirez realized that he truly hated her. 

It took all of his self-control not to break out into hysterical laughter. 

He waited silently a while longer, long enough for Fina to begin to calm down, before shaking her shoulder. "It's getting late," he murmured, his tone gentle and his eyes glittering with malice. "We should get to bed." 

She gazed up at him, her eyes still wet with sorrow, and whispered, "I love you." 

Ramirez worked his jaw for a few seconds more before he realized he had been struck dumb. 

She, too, looked shocked at her bravado, and stood quickly, her face red. "I, um, I mean—" she stammered, flustered at how Ramirez was just staring at her in disbelief. "I—good night!!" she cried, running to the platform and quickly activating the device that would send her to the foot of the cliff. 

Ramirez stood and watched her go, walking slowly to the balcony. Fina...loved him? ......He didn't know quite how to react to that...... 

It was one of life's delicious ironies, though, that the girl he hated should be in love with him. 

Smirking slightly, Ramirez wondered, /_Should I be cruel or kind? Shall I gently inform her of her mistaken emotions, or shall I tear her heart asunder? Heh..._/ Narrowing his eyes, he watched her run to her room across the island as the platform returned to the top of the cliff where he was./_Oh, sweet Fina. Sweet, simple, stupid Fina. Why is it that you claim to love me? Perhaps the Elders indoctrinated it into you, to make sure you would wish to couple with me and perpetuate our doomed race. How pathetic..._/ Boarding the platform and sending himself leisurely traveling down, Ramirez shut his eyes, still smiling vindictively. /_It suits you, Fina. Being manipulated thusly suits you well—you, who don't even understand why you were sent down here!!_/ 

He followed Fina up to the balcony on the upper floor of the living quarters, where their rooms were located. She didn't seem to notice him approaching, so intently was she watching the reflection of moonlight on the koi-filled pond. 

Carefully forming a mask of kindness, Ramirez walked up next to her, on her right, and placed a hand on her left shoulder. Startled, she stared wide-eyed up at him, then quickly glanced away, knowing well that her cheeks were still wet. 

"I'm sorry, Fina," he said quietly. "I said many unnecessary things... Perhaps it's best if we forget we had that conversation." 

She nodded silently, leaning against him. 

With a slight sigh, he pulled away and moved in front of her to brush away her remaining tears. "You always were swift to cry," he commented as he worked. 

"I'm sorry," she murmured, gazing up at him. "I...I just..." 

"Now, now, Fina," he chastised her gently, "you're an adult now. You mustn't cry." 

The pale blonde young woman hesitated, as if to say something, then nodded sadly. "Yes..." 

Finishing, Ramirez smiled. The expression pained him, but he still fondly and falsely smiled down at her. "We have more work tomorrow," he reminded her. "Let's get our rest." 

She nodded again, passively sad. "Yes." 

He stepped to the side and moved to walk to his room; Fina turned to look at him go, and he was because of it inspired. 

"Oh, and Fina..." Still smiling, Ramirez turned back to face his childhood friend. "I love you, too." 

She clasped her hands to her chest and froze, her expression alight with surprise and hope. "R...really?" she asked, her voice hushed. 

"Of course," he replied before raising a hand and 'affectionately' ruffling her hair. "You're family to me. As my little sister, of course I love you." 

"Eh...?" Fina uttered, the joy in her face slowly crumbling apart. 

"Sleep well," Ramirez said pleasantly, pretending not to notice. "Sweet dreams..." Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to the tattoo on her forehead before retreating to his room, smiling vindictively to himself the entire time. 

Unaware of this exchange, Vyse laid in bed only two rooms away from the Silvites, wide awake and staring at the ceiling, resting his head on his folded arms. 

"'I like you, too', huh..." he murmured thoughtfully. "Ramirez... I never would have thought you'd say something like that..." 

The Blue Rogue grinned lopsidedly, pleased beyond simply having gained Ramirez's apparent respect. He truly did like the Admiral, as ill-tempered and antisocial as he was; it wasn't something he could really explain, but he supposed he couldn't help it after he'd tried so hard to befriend him. Well, it's not as if he didn't want to be friends with Ramirez! Vyse was happy, both for the silver-haired swordsman and for himself. Sure, Ramirez still wasn't too friendly with everyone else, except possibly Fina, but first things first, and considering he spent a lot more time with him than anyone else, it was probably to be expected. Vyse was getting the feeling that Ramirez might even want to make more friends, but just was too uncomfortable with dealing with other people normally to do so. 

"I'll help you!" he said suddenly, sitting up and raising a fist. "Rami, I'll help you out for sure!" Vyse flopped back onto the bed with an enthusiastic grin, continuing mentally, /_You just need a little more time. It's not your fault that you got messed up somewhere along the way! Doc himself said you used to be a really nice guy, and he's known you since you first came down here! I'll return you to your old self for sure!_/ 

It was just a restatement of old vows, but Vyse made them seriously, caring about his friend. 

"Still," he muttered then, "that sure was a strange thing for _him_ to say... Sure, he insulted me like usual, but for him to say he likes me..." With a laugh, Vyse wondered out loud, "Maybe it was a love confession?" With another laugh, the words a mere joke in his mind, he shook his head. "Nah, Rami's not like that." With an affectionate smile, Vyse continued, "But I'm really happy. Ramirez, I'm really happy you like me..." 

Rolling over and pulling the blankets over his head, the brunet pirate continued to contentedly, warmly think of his fellow swordsman, not even questioning _why_ he was so happy and thus not recognizing the full extent to which his own feelings were beginning to grow. After all, what more had he to think about beyond that Ramirez was his friend?  
  
  
  
Early the next morning, Aika and Fina were discussing the events of last night, with Fina relating the story unenthusiastically and Aika making sympathetic noises and comments. Fina left out certain parts, such as Ramirez's talk about her being the last female Silvite, not wanting to dredge up those unpleasant memories and not wanting Aika to think any worse of Ramirez than she already did, but Fina detailed the rest of the night clearly, and the pigtailed Air Pirate listened well. When the blonde Silvite came to a close, Cupil snoozing quietly at her feet, Aika was shaking her head, her arms crossed. 

"I guess it can't be helped," she said with a frown, brown eyes reflecting contemplation. 

"So should I just give up?" Fina queried, looking up at Aika, her hands tightly clasped in her lap. 

"Hmmm..." Aika shut her eyes. "Well, it's not as if he hates you, Fina, and that's always a start. And even if he looks at you _like_ family, you aren't _really_ family, and that's a help, too." She opened her eyes and grinned teasingly. "You aren't really family, right?" 

"No," Fina replied, then hesitated. "At least...I don't _think_ we are." 

The redheaded pirate girl blinked. "You aren't sure?" 

"Well, I don't know who his parents were," she confessed, abashed. "He never talked about his mother, and now that I think about it, I don't think either of us knew who our father was. I suppose it's _possible_ that we're biologically related. I don't think we are, though," Fina added embarrassedly at Aika's stare. 

"...Well," she said. "...Huh. That...would be kind of weird. If you were siblings, I mean... But let's assume you're not," she added with a quick wave of the hand. "Besides, if you have no way of knowing, it's not your fault if you are! Although that would be really freaky," Aika finished, muttering the last comment under her breath. "In any case, you're pretty sure you aren't family, so there you go. What you need to do now, I'd say, is to get Ramirez to think of you less as a little sister and more as a good-looking young lady. I think a good way to go is to remind him that even though you grew up together, you haven't seen each other in a few years, so you _have_ gotten a chance to grow apart... How long ago did Ramirez leave where you two grew up, by the way?" 

"Eh? Umm..." Fina mused. "Seven and a half...nearly eight years ago, I believe." 

"Eight years ago. Great! That's a really long time ago. A—wait." Aika blinked, rethought that amount of time, considered how old Ramirez and Fina both looked, registered that there was something very wrong with that equation. "Eight _years_ ago?" she repeated. "Hold on, Fina, how old are you two? 'Cause I could swear you both don't look any older than seventeen!" 

Blinking twice, looking nonplussed, Fina replied, "I'm seventeen, yes, but Ramirez is...well, he'd just turned seventeen when he _left_, so he must be almost twenty-four now." 

The air piratess gawked. "_Twenty-four?_" she repeated, her mind blown. "He's a good seven years older than you!" 

Suddenly self-conscious, the white-clad young lady fidgeted. "...It's not _that_ long an amount of time," she said meekly. 

"Well...if it doesn't bother you, I guess there's not much for me to say," Aika said doubtfully, uncrossing her arms and planting her hands on her hips. "It could be worse, I suppose. Still, looking at him, you'd never guess he was that old. I always figured he was around our age. Vyse and I are seventeen, too," she added. "Huh. I guess it makes more sense, though," she began to muse; "it'd really be weird to be an Admiral and _only_ be seventeen. If he's twenty-four, then that's a little more sane..." Realizing she was moving far off-topic, Aika laughed nervously, folding her arms behind her head. "Sorry about that, Fina! Just thinking out loud..." 

Fina smiled and shook her head. "It's all right," she replied. "Umm...but if you could continue with what you were saying originally?" 

"Oh! Right," Aika nodded. "Eight years is a pretty long time, so try to play that up. You aren't the little girl he used to know; you're a full-grown woman now. You're not a weakling, either; although you're hardly at his level, you and Cupil can more than hold your own, so you won't be a huge burden in that respect either. Right, Cupil?" she grinned, prodding the still-sleeping silver beast with her foot. It popped awake, and blinking rapidly, it made a few happy noises and floated up to orbit Fina's head. 

The two girls laughed at its antics, and with a grateful smile, Fina said, "Thank you, Aika; I feel a lot better now." 

"Hey, don't worry about it!" Aika laughed, winking. "That's what friends are for, after all!" 

Shutting her eyes and bringing a hand to her mouth, Fina laughed and stood. "Well then, let's get ready to work on the Delphinus' new engine again today, Aika!" 

"Yeah!" Aika cheered, getting to her feet as well. "Say, if you want, Fina, I could get Vyse to talk to Ramirez for you." 

"Huh?" the young Silvite woman uttered, blinking. 

"Well, it seems the two of them are getting to be pretty friendly, so if Vyse said something, Ramirez might listen to him," Aika pointed out. "Ironic, considering how much he used to hate him..." Grinning wickedly, she added, "Oh, I just got a great idea! If Vyse pretends like he's interested in you, that might get it into Ramirez's head that he doesn't want to give up his sweet little Fina to any other men!" 

"Aika, don't you dare!!" Fina gasped, blushing madly. "If Vyse did that, I'd—I'd be mortified!!" 

Laughing, the redhead clapped a hand onto Fina's shoulder. "Don't worry, I was just kidding," she reassured her with a playful grin. "But I'm serious about asking him to help. Vyse can keep a secret; if we make him promise not to tell Ramirez you like him, he won't say a word about that. He could always try asking him about you, though; coming from him, it won't sound so weird." With a shrug, Aika goes on, "I'm not that fond of Ramirez, and I don't think he's crazy about me, either. If I asked him what he thought about you, he'd get suspicious, so it's better that way, don't you think?" 

Looking doubtful, Fina raised a hand to her chin and murmured, "I don't know..." 

"Well, how about this?" Aika suggests, crossing her arms. "I'll tell Vyse I think Ramirez has a crush on you, and ask him to discreetly ask Ramirez how he feels about you to make sure, and prod him a little in case he's a little reluctant to talk. We'll work near them, and when Vyse asks, we take that as a cue to hide and listen in on their conversation. That way he doesn't know that you like Ramirez, and we get some good information!" 

"Are you sure that will work?" Fina queried, her misgivings clear. 

"Well, if you have any better ideas, I'm willing to listen," Aika replied. 

She cast her gaze to the floor, pondering the suggestion. Fina honestly thought that there were a lot of holes in Aika's plan, but...well, what else _did_ they have? 

"All right," she decided, and then begged, "But please, _please_ be tactful!" 

"Don't worry!" Aika winked. "Vyse may be sharp when it comes to sailing and fighting and outsmarting the Armada, but when it comes to things like this, he's denser than a brick wall. Just leave it to me, Fina! Now let's go; I'll go look for Vyse, so you just go on ahead." 

Fina nodded, and the two of them headed out, Cupil floating after them leisurely. They parted ways at the top of the stairs, and Aika headed directly for Vyse's room—only to run into him, literally, when he suddenly exited. 

"Ow! Geez, Vyse!" Aika grumbled as she picked herself off the floor. "Don't open your door all of sudden, would you?" 

Rubbing his head, Vyse rolled his eyes. "Don't stand right outside my door, then," he muttered. In a louder voice, he continued, "So, something up, Aika?" 

"Yeah, sort of," Aika replied, barely managing to keep herself from grinning like a maniac. With a conspiratorial glance around, particularly at Ramirez's door, she said in a low voice, "Say, Vyse, can I grab your ear for a minute?" 

"As long as you don't mean that literally," Vyse replied. "OW OW OW OW!!" he yelled as she pulled him—by the ear, naturally—into his room, shutting the door behind them. "What was that for?!" he demanded as soon as she let go. "And when I told you not to, too!" 

Aika grinned roguishly. "Sorry," she apologized, "but that was just like an invitation, Vyse! I'll make it up to you later, promise; besides, I didn't want anyone to overhear, anyway." Glancing over at the door as if to check for eavesdroppers, she leaned in and whispered, "Actually, the truth is..." 

"Yeah?" Vyse whispered cautiously, leaning in as well. 

"I've gotten the feeling that Ramirez has a thing for Fina," she finished with a self-assured nod. 

"Wow, really? You too?" Vyse blinked, amazed. 

Aika stared. "What do you mean, 'you too'?" 

"Well, a while ago, after I was talking to Fina, Ramirez confronted me about it, and he was pretty upset over the whole thing," Vyse told her. "I'd just asked her to sing for me, but he was asking me if I liked her and so on. He seemed pretty jealous, actually." 

"_Real_ly," Aika said, making a note of it. "Why don't you ask him about it?" 

Now it was Vyse's turn to stare. "Huh?" 

"Come on," she wheedled. "You know Ramirez! He'd never be able to tell Fina if he was, so he obviously can't talk to _her_, and you know Ramirez and I don't like each other that much, so he clearly won't talk about it to me. It's not something he'd tell us if either of us asked him, either. So it's up to you! You're both men, and you've gotten pretty friendly with each other recently, so it'll seem more natural that way, anyway!" 

"Wait, but Aika," Vyse protested, "why do I have to do this to begin with?" 

"Vyse, don't you _get_ it?" Aika demanded, putting on a very convincing act of being scandalized. "If he and Fina get together, then two things will happen: one, he'll start to be happier and more open, and two, he'll have more of a reason not to go back to the Armada!" 

Vyse considered this. "You do have a point," he admitted. "You don't think he _would_ go back to the Armada, though, do you? Not after all we've been through." 

"I wouldn't put it behind him," Aika said, furrowing her brows and crossing her arms. "Let's be realistic: Ramirez has been working for Galcian for a long time now. He also thinks that humans are all scum except for Galcian. I know you've been working on changing that, and I've noticed that the two of you are pretty chummy now, but I think in the end that would just mean he'd feel bad about handing us over to the Empire. Ramirez is a rigid guy, and he _really_ didn't like us at first, and he still doesn't really like most of us, so I think his loyalties would come first if he had to choose." 

"You don't think he's going to betray us, do you?" Vyse queried, concerned. 

"Betray? Nah," the redheaded girl replied, shaking her head. "If he were given a chance, he'd probably do it, but he hasn't had any opportunities for that. He's stuck with us, and if we make sure it stays that way, then maybe his loyalties will eventually switch to us." Winking, she added, "You remember what Doc told us, about how much he used to be like you, and how nice he used to be. I bet he's already starting to crack! Who'd rather be all bitter and lonely, anyway? Especially when the alternative is right in your grasp!" 

With a grin, Vyse nodded. "You're right, Aika. Ramirez is still pretty reserved, but he's a lot friendlier than when he first joined us, back when we got the Delphinus," he said, recalling both the initial Ramirez, who promised to kill him, and the Ramirez of last night, who told him he liked him. "We should all try to make him feel more welcome here, as if he's one of us Air Pirates, and not an enemy being tolerated for the moment." 

"He _is_ an Admiral; don't forget that, Vyse," Aika reminded him. 

"Yeah, but just because he's an Admiral doesn't mean he's a bad person," Vyse argued. "Look at Belleza, for instance. Sure, when we first met her, she tricked us and almost got us killed, but she was just doing her job. She doesn't like risking the lives of her crew unnecessarily, and she took losing well when we beat her near the Temple of Pyrynn. And in Yafutoma, she didn't make anyone fight against Bluheim; she got everyone to retreat as soon as possible so they wouldn't get hurt." Shifting his weight, the young ship captain continued to gesture to make his point to Aika, regarding him with arms akimbo and a half-convinced expression, "The way I figure, she's essentially a good person working for the bad guys. She doesn't even think of herself as being one of the bad guys; remember what she said when she revealed her true identity? She doesn't anyone to suffer like she did when she was a kid, so to get rid of the wars that cause orphaned children, she's working to bring the world under one rule. I know the logic is more than a little warped, believe me, and the Valuan Empire's hardly the one that should be controlling all the rest, and I was just as mad as you were when she deceived us, but her heart's in the right place, I'm sure." 

"You sure you weren't just entranced by her jiggling boobs?" his childhood friend demanded with a mock scowl, though the sparkle in her eyes betrayed the joviality behind her words. "You _were _staring pretty hard at 'Bellena'." 

"H-hey, gimme a break!" Vyse yelled, blushing. "Geez, _Aika_! Why not just kick a Looper for running from battle! _Ow!!_" Hopping on one foot, he glared at his childhood friend, who had just dealt him a nasty blow to the shin. 

She grinned wickedly, and said, "Well, there aren't any Loopers around!" 

Vyse rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall, rubbing his leg. "You've got a mean kick," he muttered. "Remind me not to invite you to hurt me again. Sheesh."  
  
  
  
Later that day, after the morning had been devoted to hard work and everyone broke outside for a well-deserved lunch, Vyse remembered what Aika had told him. He regarded the clear sky thoughtfully for a moment, munching on an egg salad sandwich and his back to the tavern, and then turned to Ramirez, who was contenting himself with one of Urala's box lunches, sitting next to him on the grass. Aika and Fina, who, as they'd plotted earlier, had been stalking the two, caught the motion, and inconspicuously hid nearby to spy, hidden just around the corner. 

"Say," Vyse began, "I've been wondering since before, but..." 

"Hmm?" Ramirez murmured, glancing at his companion. 

"I was just wondering," Vyse said with a shrug, "but are you interested in Fina?" 

Already disliking the flow of the conversation, the silver-haired swordsman queried warily, "Interested how?" 

"Well, you've known each other for a long time, but you were separated for a few years, so I was wondering if you...well, you know...hadn't started to fall for her," the captain of the Delphinus replied, trying for tactful and failing horribly. 

Ramirez peered at him. "Have you talked to Fina since we parted ways yesterday?" he inquired suspiciously. 

"Huh? No. Why?" Vyse replied, confused. 

"Mmph. It's nothing," he said, still apprehensive but deciding Vyse spoke the truth. "Have you spoken with Aika, then?" 

"Huh?" Now sweating slightly, the brown-eyed youth smiled nervously. "What are you talking about? I noticed it a while ago. Remember when you warned me not to get too familiar with Fina, after I asked her to sing for me that one time? I thought it was odd back then, and I just today remembered it. I just wanted to make sure. I won't tell anyone about it, especially not the girls—promise." 

"Vyse, I'm _not_ in love with Fina," Ramirez said exasperatedly. He was about to go on when he happened to catch sight of something long and orange some ways behind Vyse, poking out from behind a corner—one of Aika's ridiculous-looking braids? His expression didn't change, his military discipline keeping him from betraying that he'd noticed a spy, but he was definitely not pleased to know he had an audience. 

/_On the other hand,_/ he mused quickly, /_whatever Aika hears, she'll relay to Fina, so I could use this opportunity to keep Fina from chasing after me needlessly... And if Fina's listening in with her, all the better._/ 

"Did Aika set you up to this, by the way?" he added. A twitch of the braid—/_Not very stealthy, that hairstyle,_/ Ramirez mused bemusedly—and a twitch from Vyse told him all he needed to know, so he continued, "Don't try denying it, Vyse." 

With an embarrassed sigh, Vyse said, "All right, you got me. Aika mentioned that she thought you had a crush on Fina, so it reminded me of back then, and I got curious." It wasn't _exactly_ what happened, but it was true nonetheless, and Vyse knew Ramirez wouldn't like that he'd been talking about him at length behind his back. Guiltily, the brown-eyed Blue Rogue resolved not to do that anymore... 

"Hmm," Ramirez frowned. It seemed plausible enough...but there was still something fishy about the situation, his lunch aside. Deciding to engineer the conversation a little further, he looked away and commented, "I wonder if Fina put her up to mentioning that to you." 

"What? Why would she do something like that?" Vyse queried, staring. 

Glancing at the pirate, Ramirez decided with some satisfaction that he was probably being honest, which pleased him for a number of different reasons, and replied, "Well, it's just it's too much of a coincidence." 

"What do you mean?" 

Turning to face Vyse fully, Ramirez inquired, "You remember last night when Aika told me Fina had something to say to me, right?" 

The Air Pirate nodded, still not quite clueing in, taking a sip from his water glass. 

"Well, she ended up confessing her love to me," he admitted, making a show of averting his gaze, though in reality he wanted to see the reaction of the pumpkin-colored braid. It slipped out of sight, and there was some whispering from that direction, though it was easy not to notice if you weren't listening for it. 

"He told Vyse," Fina was whispering desperately to Aika at that moment, having pulled her back. "What am I going to do, Aika??" 

"Calm down, it's not a big deal," Aika whispered back. "Vyse isn't the type to spread rumors, anyway, and it could be worse. In any case, we'll get noticed if we try to sneak away, so let's just listen in for the moment." 

Yes, judging from that there was whispering to begin with, Fina must be there with Aika... /_What perfect timing,_/ Ramirez had to think, with the mental equivalent of a smirk. 

"Woah, for _real_?" Vyse was gaping; no, that surprise definitely wasn't faked. An honest guy like him couldn't feign that. "What did you say?" 

"Well, what _could_ I say?" Ramirez replied, scowling slightly; he, on the other hand, _could_ act quite well. "I ended up pretending to misunderstand, and told her I loved her like a sister. How else could I avoid hurting her feelings?" 

"Don't you think that would have hurt her feelings, too?" Vyse questioned doubtfully. 

"Well, when she confessed, she blurted it out all of a sudden," Ramirez told him, "so what I did was probably better than telling her straight that I didn't love her. That would have crushed her." 

Vyse considered this, regarding his companion with a growing smile. 

"...What?" Ramirez demanded, a feeling of disconcertion growing with that smile. 

He grinned. "It's nothing," he said. "Well...it's just that I think it's awfully sweet of you to go out of your way like that." 

Ramirez made a face. "Vyse, please don't call me sweet." 

With a laugh, Vyse apologized, "Sorry, sorry—bad choice of words. But still, that's surprisingly considerate of you, trying to make sure Fina wasn't hurt too badly. I would have figured you would have just told her directly; you might have a more refined way of speaking than me, but you're a lot more prone to just being brutally honest. You really _are_ a nice guy at heart, aren't you, Ramirez?" 

With an irritated sigh, he replied, "Think what you like." 

"No, I think it's a good thing," Vyse insisted. "Honesty is really important, but you have to be careful of other people's feelings, too. If you're just telling the truth to be cruel, then that's bad; sometimes you have to tell a few small lies to keep from hurting other people." Taking another bite of his sandwich, he added, "Shtill, you haven't seen Fina fer yearsh, right? And you two've known each other longer'n'anyone." Swallowing, he finished, "And Fina's a sweet girl who really cares about you and thinks about you a lot. Don't you think you might eventually, well, fall in love with her? Even if you don't feel that way now?" 

Ramirez frowned and just shook his head, wondering about how much Vyse did and didn't know. "You don't understand. It's...oh, how do I explain this..." He glanced away, and almost raised a piece of raw sliced Moonfish to his lips when he caught hold of a brilliant idea. Aika had gone through the trouble of _causing_ him trouble; now he'd return the favor. "Well, take you and Aika, for example," he said, looking back to his captain. "You two are childhood friends too, right?" 

"Yeah." 

"So how would you feel if Aika suddenly confessed her love to _you_?" 

Meanwhile, Aika and Fina stared at each other wide-eyed from their hiding spot. 

"That'd be—wow, way too weird," Vyse answered, blinking in surprise. "I've known her ever since we were playing in the sandbox. We're practically like family—it'd be like if my sister hit on me! If I had one." He blinked, reconsidered his words, and suddenly realized. "Ohhhh. I get it! It's like that with you and Fina, huh?" 

"_Exactly_," Ramirez said emphatically. "You finally understand, Vyse." 

"Heh... Looking at it from that perspective, I guess I know how you feel," the brunet said thoughtfully, taking another bite of his sandwich as, unbeknownst to him, the two eavesdropping girls sweatdropped heavily. "It'd be way too weird if Aika had a crush on me. A good thing I don't have to deal with that..." 

"Yes," Ramirez agreed, glancing back at the girls' hiding spot with a restrained but triumphant smile. "A good thing indeed." 

Vyse looked around then, and the Silvite swordsman regarded him curiously. Had he finally noticed the girls as well? It was a bit late for that, but it was understandable that, since he's in his own base, he would be off his guard like this. Ramirez could let that amount of negligence slide, considering the circumstances, and better to notice eavesdroppers before they escape rather than after, or not at all. The Silvite considered the Blue Rogue to be his equal; Vyse should act like his equal as well. 

"How long's it been since we broke for lunch, Ramirez?" the captain of the Delphinus queried before taking a bite of his sandwich. 

"Eh? Ah...I'm not sure, exactly, not having a clock to which to refer, but I would guess twenty minutes?" Ramirez replied, his tone more polite than usual, as he returned to his own meal. 

Vyse gave him an odd little look, chewing thoughtfully and chasing his food with a swig of water, but he gave the older swordsman a lopsided smile and finished off his sandwich. Standing, he replied, grinning at his companion as if he'd told an amusing joke rather than make a temporal estimate, "I'm going to head back to the Delphinus. I'll be waiting for you, Rami!" 

The silver-haired young man rolled his eyes at the nickname, at which Vyse's grin became slightly sheepish, but Ramirez simply inclined his head into a nod as the Air Pirate took a step toward the inner docks, looking back long enough to wave before leaving. He watched him go as he sipped his cloudy soup and ate his rice, his expression neutral. The fool had used that annoying name for him, smiled for no apparent reason and didn't even notice Aika and Fina, both of whom he was graciously ignoring as they attempted to slip away unnoticed... 

His expression softened ever so slightly. 

/_Idiot._/  
  
  
  
Work for the rest of that day passed quickly, and it wasn't long until everyone had called it a night and got ready to shower and get to bed. It had been, however, in other respects, quite a long day, and both Aika and Fina had been given much to ponder. The girls were truly starting to envy the Princess Moegi, who had Enrique utterly captivated... Of course, they didn't begrudge the happy couple, and were happy to give them their blessings, but they couldn't help but feel at least somewhat jealous at Moegi's rosy love life when their own romantic prospects were grey at best and getting bleaker. It was during their shower that the two best friends discussed their current situations, across a stall wall. 

"_Men_," Aika promptly complained as she stepped into her stall, hanging her towel outside the shower curtain. "They. Are utterly. HOPELESS." 

"Perhaps it would be best to give up," Fina suggested, her verdure eyes downcast as she turned on the hot water and entered. "If they both think of us as family, then..." 

"Give up? Hah!" the spunky piratess laughed, her brown eyes fierce. "A good Blue Rogue never gives up! She just...admits temporary defeat," she finished reluctantly. 

"Maybe we should do that, then," the Silvite lady called. 

Aika mused bitterly on the subject for so long that Fina had to call her name before her attention was revived. Then, with a startled noise, she replied, "Huh? Yeah. No, wait, no! We can't call it quits, not after we've tried this hard! You love Ramirez, don't you?" 

The green-eyed young woman was silent for a moment as she lathered her skin with Nasrian scented soap before she quietly said, "Yes. But..." 

"What? I can't hear you over the water." 

"Yes, but," Fina raised her voice, "I don't want him to be unhappy." 

"Huh? Why would he be unhappy? You're important to him!" 

"But if he thinks of me as a sister," the Silvite argued, "then I shouldn't try to force him into feeling something he doesn't feel. That wouldn't be fair to him, and I wouldn't be happy either if I thought he was just with me to please me. He seemed rather annoyed about the subject when Vyse brought it up, too... I don't want him to get upset with me because I keep overstepping my boundaries. I'm glad just to have my childhood friend back. 

"Besides," and Fina paused to pick up the shampoo, her smile and blush both faint, "it _was_ awfully sweet of him to try to protect my feelings like he did. I'm grateful to him for at least trying to be kind to me even when I was being a bother." Aika groaned, to which the pale-blonde young woman blinked rapidly. "What?" 

"'Sweet' and 'Ramirez' just _don't_ go together," she replied, her tone more cross than she'd intended it to be. "Honestly, what are you and Vyse thinking?" 

Fina giggled in reply. "You just don't see his good side," she said gently. "Why don't you try talking to him? You two might have more in common than you think." 

"Gnuh. I'll think about it," the carrot-topped girl muttered. "Anyway, moving back on topic..." 

"I think what I said applies to you and Vyse as well," Fina interrupted even more gently. "You care about him more than anyone else, just like how I care about Ramirez. So shouldn't his personal happiness be just as important to you as your own happiness? Even if it isn't in the way you would prefer, Vyse still loves you, Aika. You'll always be dear in his thoughts... That is what I believe, anyway." 

There was a long pause as the Air Piratess scrubbed her skin roughly and thoroughly, as if she could force the truth behind Fina's words to slough off along with the dead cells. Finally, though, she sighed heavily, and raising her arm as a cushion, leaned her head against the stall wall. "You have a point," she said resignedly. "Damn it, Vyse, why d'you have to be such a blockhead..." 

"If you really want to, though, you could always confess to him anyway," the Silvite pointed out, her voice still gentle. 

Another lengthy pause ensued, water raining over Aika's bare back, before she smiled and laughed ruefully. "On the other hand, there's something to this maidenly give-up-on-the-guy-you-like-because-he-thinks-you're-like-his-kid-sister routine..." 

Fina smiled nervously before she replied, "Do whatever you think is best, Aika." 

"Mnuh," the Blue Rogue mumbled in non-reply, then let the conversation dwindle into silence as she mused over her good friend's words. There was no way that she could tell Vyse how she felt, especially now that she knew he wouldn't return her affections... That route was a dead-end, so as she rinsed herself off, she instead deliberated over Fina's suggestion to talk to Ramirez. Vyse had said they should all try to make him feel welcome, and hell, Aika knew he'd have no reason to be nice to someone he knew neither liked nor trusted him—/_With good reason,_/ she thought darkly—but that didn't make her more inclined to actually follow through... 

Shutting off the water and grabbing her towel, she briskly began to dry herself off as she considered talking to the taciturn man. Maybe Vyse and Fina were right; maybe Ramirez _was_ a better guy than for what she was crediting him. Doc had nothing but good things to say about him, too. It occurred to her also that maybe he treated everyone like an enemy was because he expected them to be or become his enemies. Well, _they_ weren't his enemies, or they wouldn't be if he'd get it through his head that following Galcian wasn't going to make him happy in the long run. 

Blinking, Aika thought then, /_Maybe he's given up on being happy..._/ Although she still had her misgivings about the man, she couldn't help but feel sorry for someone who'd had such a rough time that he'd forsaken friendship and happiness because he didn't believe they existed... 

The Air Piratess shook her head vigorously, loose, wet strands of her hair beating against her neck and shoulders. "I'm over-thinking things," she declared out loud. 

"Aika?" Fina called from her stall. 

"I'm going to talk to Ramirez after all, Fina!" Aika called back, grabbing her clothes and quickly changing into them. 

She couldn't see her friend's smile, but it was audible in her reply of, "Good luck!" 

The young redhead didn't take long to dress, dry her hair and brush it, not wanting to give herself time to rethink her decision, and as she walked quickly from the showers, leaving her hair loose, she caught sight of the Prince of Valua exiting the mens' showers at the same time. 

"Hey, Enrique!" she called over to him. "Do you know where Ramirez is?" 

He glanced over at her with a politely surprised smile and paused a second for thought. "I think he's already headed back to his room, Aika." 

"Thanks!" she yelled, waving and taking off for the living quarters. She smiled and shouted good-nights to the people she passed on the way, but she didn't slow down until she reached the second floor of the barracks, where she spied the white-haired Silvite just a step away from his door. 

"Hey, Ramirez!" she shouted, jogging up to him. 

He turned at the sound of his name, his expression carefully guarded; he definitely didn't want to talk to _her_. "...What?" he answered, to be polite. 

Standing before him and crossing her arms, Aika stated, "I want to talk to you!" 

His expression remained guarded. "Oh?" 

"Have you got a minute?" she continued, turning a half-step toward her door, not waiting for an answer. "Let's go to my room for privacy." 

/_What's wrong with my room?_/ Ramirez wondered, but he knew she probably would feel more comfortable in her own territory. "...Fine." 

The two walked over to and into Aika's room, with the piratess picking a seat to take and the Valuan Admiral choosing to stand rigidly instead. He waited patiently for her to begin the conversation, and the two of them regarded each other silently before Aika finally took her cue and spoke. 

"Well...maybe it's against my better judgment to ask this, but how do you feel about Fina?" 

"Your hair is nice like that," Ramirez commented, flicking his green eyes to Aika's loose hair. 

"......huh, wha?" Vyse's childhood friend uttered, blinking rapidly. 

"It looks better the way it is now," he said in the way of explanation, bemused by how easy it was to change the subject, though he doubted it would last once his companion regained her bearings. "You should wear it down more often." 

"Uh, well, uhh..." Aika stammered, then stopped and glared at Ramirez. "Hey, wait, don't change the subject! I asked you about Fina!" 

"You don't take compliments well, I see," the swordsman observed. 

"We're not talking about me, we're talking about Fina!" she protested, blushing. 

"A topic I'm beginning to find disagreeable," the silver-haired man frowned. "I have no wish to discuss her with you." 

She frowned as well. "Why not?" 

"Why should I?" he replied, allowing a small measure of annoyance to show. "I know whatever I say to you here, you'll report back to her without fail. Besides, I strongly suspect that you were the one who put her up to all this in the first place. Fina is far too timid to come up with this on her own." 

Aika didn't reply, knowing it too be all too true. 

"I'm right, aren't I?" Ramirez smirked mirthlessly. "Well, you needn't reply, since it's rather obvious. Please be reassured, though, that I will not fall in love with Fina... As you really should understand well from Vyse." 

"I haven't had a chance to talk to Vyse today," the orange-haired replied hotly, crossing her arms huffily. 

"I'm afraid you misunderstand," he said, looking down upon her. "I never stated that you _spoke_ _with_ Vyse. Nor, must I mention, do I think he _would_ speak of this with anyone _but_ you." 

The implication behind Ramirez's statement took a few seconds to sink in; when it did, Aika gaped open-mouthed at the faintly smirking swordsman before she sat up straight and managed to sputter, "You, you _knew_!!" 

"Knew what?" the Silvite swordsman said scornfully, his jade eyes narrowed. "That you were eavesdropping on our _private_ conversation? You hardly have a right to be indignant." 

"Hey! I wasn't hurting anyone!" she shouted, rising to her feet, her face growing red. "I didn't mean to, anyway! Besides, you could at least try to be a little more tactful!" 

"Oh? I thought I _was_ being tactful," he remarked coolly. "Perhaps you were too busy being self-righteous to notice?" 

Grinding her teeth, Aika forced out, "Well...I'm sorry, then, okay?" 

"Give me a reason to accept your apology and perhaps I'll do so," Ramirez replied evenly. 

"You know what?!" the pirate girl exploded, her patience with the swordsman at its end. "You're a big jerk! I just said I was sorry and you have to go and dangle it over my head! What do Vyse and Fina think is so great about you, anyway?! When you'd sell us all out to Galcian in a heartbeat if you had the chance!!" 

Ramirez was quick to fall silent, his expression once again guarded. 

"I'd be surprised if you haven't already cooked up some plan to stab us all in the back!" she continued to rant, heedless of the consequences. "The only thing keeping you from carrying it out is that you haven't been able to contact him!" 

"Your level of faith in me is utterly remarkable," the Silvite commented blandly. 

"What the hell is with your devotion to Galcian, anyway?" she scowled, glaring at him. "What makes him so much better than the rest of us?" 

His eyes narrowed slightly. "That is a story I have no intentions of telling to you." 

"Why not? Because I wouldn't understand?" the pirate girl inquired, rolling her eyes. "You won't know until you try me!" 

"Perhaps it's because it's a _private matter_," Ramirez replied, stressing the words coldly. "Apparently, you don't understand such things." 

"I won't tell! If I tell," and Aika paused to fumble for a suitably acceptable exchange, "you can beat me up as much as you like, and I'll tell Vyse I had it coming." 

The Silvite had to smirk at that. "As tempting as that sounds," he said dryly, "I trust you about as much as you trust me." Glancing away, he continued, "If you were Vyse, I perhaps might be convinced to speak, but as you are, I'm definitely not going to tell you. Especially since I dislike repeating myself, and all considering, I find it highly likely that Fina told you what I told her, back when I was first brought aboard the Delphinus. Or is your memory too poor to retain such petty details?" he finished, his tone laced with contempt. 

"What makes Vyse special?" the pirate girl inquired, ignoring the crack. 

"...There's something about him that's disarming," Ramirez chose to reply at length. He mused on to himself, recalling some of his early conversations with the handsome rogue, "It wouldn't have been the first time I spoke more freely to him than I would with anyone else..." 

"Hunh, so you're saying you like him?" Aika queried, an eyebrow and a corner of her mouth both quirked upwards, placing her arms akimbo. 

"That's another thing I don't care to discuss with you," the Silvite scowled. 

Finally recognizing that if she kept on this path, their conversation would be irreversibly ruined, Aika attempted to make amends by raising her hands and saying, "Let's start over, okay? I don't want to aggravate you." 

"Your previous words strongly suggest otherwise," the sixth Admiral commented. 

"Well, then, I'm sorry, all right?" Aika said, annoyed. "I'm sorry." 

"I believe we went over this before," he noted, peering at her. 

"Are you trying to pick a fight with me?" she demanded, now both annoyed and exasperated. 

He shrugged, shutting his eyes. "Not particularly." 

Peering at him for a moment, she finally declared, flopping back onto her chair, "I really don't understand why Vyse puts up with you." 

"To be fair, I don't understand why he puts up with you, either," the Admiral commented. "Our perspectives are too different." Crossing his arms and turning away, he continued, "Vyse gets away with calling himself my friend because I've actually found him to be agreeable, for the most part." Ramirez glanced back at her. "You are unlikely to earn the same regard." 

"I really don't like you," Aika seethed. 

Without emotion, the Silvite stated, "The feeling is mutual." 

There was a moment where neither spoke; then, the redhead sighed. "...This isn't how I intended this conversation to turn out." 

"What were your intentions?" 

"I was _trying_ to see if _maybe_ you _were_ a nice guy at heart like _certain_ people keep assuring me," Aika replied, aggravated. 

"I'll save your life someday. You can make your own decision then." At likely the same time, he would be giving the Moon Crystals to Lord Galcian and laying waste to Crescent Isle, so he doubted it would make a difference, but at least she'd get to keep at least her life. She had to treasure the little things. "Until then," the swordsman finished, turning toward the door, "perhaps it's best if we respectfully avoid each other." 

"Good night," the boomerang-user sighed, running an ungloved hand through her bangs. 

"Good night," Ramirez replied with a curt nod as he left. Outside her door, he was mildly surprised to meet Vyse. 

"Hey," the brunet smiled, pushing himself off of the wall, his arms crossed. "Pretty rare to see you hanging out with Aika. What were you two up to?" 

"Just clearing up some issues," Ramirez frowned. "What are you doing here?" 

"Curiosity," the young captain grinned. "Enrique told me Aika had been looking for you." 

"Please don't tell me you were eavesdropping," the white-haired swordsman sighed in irritation. 

"What? No," Vyse replied, blinking widely in genuine surprise. "I only just got here. Besides, Aika would get pissed if I listened in on her." 

"You're a better person than she is," Ramirez mused. 

"What?" 

"Nothing," the Silvite said dismissively. "Are you heading to bed now?" 

"Yeah. Don't want to be dead on my feet tomorrow," Vyse replied, regarding Ramirez curiously but deciding to let it slide. "'Night." 

The young Admiral turned to return to his room. "Good night." 

"Oh, yeah, Ramirez?" Vyse called over once he'd reached his door. 

He glanced back at the brunet Air Pirate over his shoulder. "Yes?" 

Vyse smiled warmly, his expression soft. He had spent a lot of time musing over his conversation with Ramirez last night, and although he didn't understood much better now than he did then, he had puzzled through a couple of things. What Aika had said before was right; Ramirez's loyalties _were_ to Galcian. But that was something that could change, right? Even if it took a lot of work. It was just a matter of letting him realize which life would be better for him and what he'd always wanted for himself, and that he could be happy in Arcadia. 

The young captain knew that he hadn't really been making things easier for Ramirez, either; it had to be tough for the Silvite to go against his commanding officer... If Vyse had to work against his father, for example, he doubted he'd be enthused about that, either. And having to work with Air Pirates when he was an Admiral of the Valuan Armada, all because he, Vyse, had in essence kidnapped him... He didn't like thinking of it that way, but what else could one call taking someone to a place at which they didn't want to be against their will? Yes, dwelling on Aika's words had opened his eyes on certain things. True, he'd heard similar things from his father, but to a teenager, there is a big difference between hearing something from one's parent and hearing the same thing from one's best friend. 

Vyse's easygoing smile increased as he gazed at the patiently waiting swordsman. Yeah, now that he really thought about it, he _had_ put Ramirez through a lot. He had to admire a guy who could have taken that kind of stress and still end up liking the person who forced him into it anyway. 

"Thanks..." he said, thinking of all of that, "for putting up with me." 

The Admiral blinked, completely confused. "...Pardon?" he ventured. 

"I know this isn't really your place," he began, glancing up at the Moon, "and maybe even after all this time, you still think of me as an enemy you just happen not to hate..." Leaning against his door and smiling at the stunned Silvite, he finished, "But I'd really like it if this became your place, someday." 

Unable to form any words to exchange for that, the snowy-haired youth simply gazed at the Blue Rogue silently. 

"Oh, one last thing," Vyse added, grinning brightly. 

"What now?" Ramirez inquired hesitantly. 

"I'm glad you like me," he smiled gently. "I hope you're glad I like you, too." 

He continued to say nothing, though his jade eyes widened slightly as his heartbeat began to sprint for the first time since he had conquered his supposedly false emotions.

"'Night, Ramirez," the captain of the Delphinus said cheerily, entering his room. 

"...Good night, Vyse," the silver-haired young man murmured, already puzzling through the Blue Rogue's words. 

His room was cast in shadows and moonlight, and he locked his door with a quiet _click_ behind him before he leaned against it, running a hand through his bangs and finally allowing himself the luxury of a moment of panic. 

/_What's going on?_/ he thought desperately, staring into the dark. /_What's...this feeling...why? Why am I feeling this way again? I was confused! I was just confused!! Why is my heart pounding like this again?!_/ 

"Vyse," he whispered, sweat beading on his face in spite of the cool, "do you even realize what you're doing to me...?" 

He wiped his brow on the back of his glove, and walking over to his desk, his breathing elevated, he began to strip down to his pants and undershirt. He pulled out the chair heedless of the noise and slumped down upon it, tossing his discarded garments on the desk and his boots on the floor. 

/_It can't be._/ 

Still breathing heavily, his green eyes fixed on a point in the gloom, his heartbeat thudding, Ramirez placed a hand over his mouth and thought, /_I can't be in love with him. I...I can't. I already dealt with this! It's...I just can't! It's wrong, and...he's the enemy! I'm going to betray him to Lord Galcian! This can't be happening!!_/ 

Bowing his head and leaning over the desk, he buried his fingers into his bangs, obscuring his eyes with his palms. This... Did Vyse know? About his...confusion? Or was it possible that he was becoming confused...? It was entirely possible, but... 

"No," Ramirez stated breathlessly, shaking his head. "Not Vyse. Even if he were, it's impossible that he'd choose _me_..." 

But Vyse _had_ told him quite clearly that he liked him, twice. Was he reading too much into it? But what he'd said just now had been rather suggestive... But Vyse was a fool, he wouldn't realize what he was saying! ...Or would he? Despite how Ramirez often thought of him as an idiot, not always seriously, he knew the Air Pirate had a good head on his shoulders. How else could he have thwarted the Armada for this long, and even snuck into and escaped from the Grand Fortress? It was possible that Vyse was far more crafty than for what Ramirez gave him credit... And if he allowed that concession, was it possible that even his assessment of his honesty was also mistaken? 

If that were so, then he needed no regrets concerning his betrayal. Vyse would have betrayed him eventually anyway; better that he seize the first chance and thus the upper hand. Yes, he wouldn't need to regret, to doubt, to be anxious...but... 

He didn't know what to think. Ramirez truly didn't know what to think. 

"Why is it..." he whispered, massaging his temples, "that you're so very skilled at upsetting my world view, Vyse...?" 

Whatever else he thought, the sixth Admiral knew this was hardly a matter to be contemplated when exhausted. He needed more time to gather information, to observe and assess, to analyze the reverse side of Vyse. And then...what? Regardless of whether Vyse was honest or deceitful, what did it matter? Ramirez had his duty to fulfill. Duty came before all other things; abiding by his vows and oaths to Lord Galcian were his top priority. That was the one unchangeable rule. Distinguishing the true nature of Vyse's character was unnecessary for the completion of his mission, and thus superfluous. He would be gone within a couple of weeks; he would never have to think about the Blue Rogue or any of his companions again, aside from when they met on the battlefield. 

But there was also the undeniable fact that he liked, and possibly loved, Vyse. How would _that_ change things? How had it already changed things? Moons knew how much it had warped, and was still warping... 

"I need sleep," Ramirez groaned, standing, though he knew he was unlikely to achieve it. With a deep sigh, he turned from the desk and, without bothering to push the chair back, collapsed onto his bed to begin anew his vain attempts for respite. 

The rest of that week, though perhaps not peaceful, was thankfully without incident.  


* * *

  
**NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal Arcadia_ [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong. 

**Ianthe:** (*wails*) I SUCK! I did _nothing_ to help write this chapter!   
**Ayu:** Yeah, I wrote this one all by myself. Edited it by myself for the most part, too.   
**Ianthe:**_squee._ Blame my brothers! My internet connection is _nihil_ thanks to them! DAMN YOU, GABRIEL KNIGHT!! DAMN YOU FOR SEDUCING LUCK AND AIDAN (and me) WITH YOUR ASSHOLE WAYS!!!   
**Ayu:** (*patpats*) 

"_Vyse was getting the feeling that Ramirez might even want to make more friends, but just was too uncomfortable with dealing with other people normally to do so._"   
**Ianthe:** Anybody else getting Utena/Anthy flashbacks? That's one of my favorite couplings, incidentally. 

**Ayu:** I got to page 17 before I asked myself, "When do these people SHOWER?!" So that's why we all of a sudden have a shower scene. Thought you might be interested. 

**Ayu:** The lyric-title this time is taken from a Yaida Hitomi song by the title of _I'm here saying nothing_. Full lyrics can be found at my site, as always, the link to which you can find below. 

**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com   
**Contact Ianthe of d.I:** ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))   
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net)) 


	13. Chapter 13: Furimuku Jikan ha Nai no

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  
**Chapter 13:** Furimuku Jikan ha Nai no  
(_There is No Time to Turn Back_)

  
  
  
  


"Adjust your blade," Ramirez said patiently, standing six feet opposite Vyse on the deck of the Delphinus, which was currently bound for Valua. "The right one. The way you're holding it now, I could swat it away without thinking about it." 

Vyse obeyed, changing his grip and tilting it slightly closer to his body. "This better?" 

"It's acceptable," the Silvite replied, raising his Yafutoman blade before his body in a guard position. "Now attack me." 

Vyse hesitated, naturally; it wasn't in his nature to try to hurt his friends. In addition, in spite of his knowledge that Ramirez was clearly a better swordsman and could probably beat him ten times in a row, after all the time they had spent together recently working and conversing rather than battling monsters, it was hard to think of him as the genius at the blade he was. The fact that Ramirez was also shorter and looked more feminine than him didn't help, either. 

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" he finally decided to query, lowering his cutlasses. "I might hurt you by accident." 

"Vyse, if I were you, I would worry about not getting hurt myself," the young Admiral replied, frowning, not changing his position. He smirked and added, "Or is that the problem?" 

The captain of the Delphinus rolled his eyes. "Fine, forget I asked!" he smirked. "Excuse me for worrying about you!" 

"I asked you to spar with me; you needn't worry about me," Ramirez smirked in return. "Now attack!" 

This time, Vyse obliged the Silvite swordsman, quickly rushing forward and slashing with his main cutlass. Ramirez, however, was quicker, and moving with the rogue, he struck Vyse's blade with his sheathed katana and sent him running past, calmly returning to a guard position and watching his companion stumble, regain his footing and swiftly turn about to face him again. 

The Air Pirate eyed the lacquered sheath of Ramirez's foreign blade, remembering his curt words upon being questioned about not drawing his sword: "_My instinct is to kill, Vyse, and when I draw my sword, that intent is never far from my mind. I don't wish to risk that in a mere friendly duel._" Vyse had been vaguely insulted that the Admiral thought he had to hold back for him like that, but he reflected that it probably wasn't that different from his own hesitating to attack a friend. Grinning at that, the Blue Rogue charged again with a yell, and this time, Ramirez yielded a step as Vyse's weapon connected with his before pushing back one-armed and fending away the pirate. A smirk was faint on the Silvite's lips as he then pointed his sword at Vyse, abandoning his guard position for a more aggressive stance. 

"Don't bore me, Vyse," he said. "I'm expecting a lot from you." 

In answer, Vyse raised his left arm sharply to blocked Ramirez's weapon with that cutlass and lunged in to strike with the right blade. The white-haired retreated as soon as he saw the motion, but was too slow to prevent the rogue from scoring a hit against his arm with the flat of his blade. Ramirez vaguely appreciated Vyse's attempt to not cut up his clothes as he slid his katana under his opponent's arm and ran the blade point across his chest—an act that would, had the katana not been sheathed, have cut Vyse in two. The two separated, the taller youth touching the line that had been drawn across his chest cautiously, and Ramirez's smirk returned. 

"Were this a real fight, I would have just killed you," he said, slightly bemused by the situation. "Vyse, you need to remember that if you hold back against me, you are certain to lose." 

"I'll have to keep that in mind," the Blue Rogue grinned before feinting and lunging again. 

Ramirez caught the attack easily, seeing the ruse for what it had been, and returned it for one of his own. Their weapons struck together, and in a forceful dance, the two exchanged blow after blow, cutlass sliding against scabbard and vice versa. Ramirez was swift to force Vyse back step after step with several consecutive, powerful attacks, confident that he wouldn't even need to use half of his true ability, until the young ship captain had nearly been backed into the Delphinus' railing. The Silvite's assault was interrupted, however, when Vyse managed to dodge and sidestep a thrust, and block the following attack with his left cutlass as he nimbly danced away, putting a healthy distance between himself and his opponent. 

"You're good," the rogue commented, keeping his flippant smile, though his expression didn't match it. 

"The observation is appreciated, but I wanted to test _your_ skills, not the other way around," the Admiral replied. "That's not very easy to do when you continue not to use them. Now..." He raised his sword once again. "Are you going to be serious now?" 

"You're too good," Vyse replied before attacking with both cutlasses, catching Ramirez's block with his left blade and swiftly slipping through the Admiral's defenses with the right, with which he had feinted, to land a sharp blow to the chest. It drew no blood, as again the pirate had used the flat, but it managed to catch Ramirez by surprise, and the Silvite retreated a step. 

Vyse used the opportunity to charge, using both cutlasses to manage an assault, and although Ramirez's skill was such that he could block both swords at once, he could not help but acknowledge that Vyse's ambidextrousness yielded him an advantage. The Admiral was forced to withdraw as his opponent maintained his continuous attack, though no blows were allowed through this time, and reassess his situation. He could easily defend, and any attack that slipped through would mean little as Vyse would only hit with the flat of his cutlass, but it was interesting how this was turning out. Ramirez knew Vyse wouldn't let him leave without a fight when he took the Crystals and rejoined Lord Galcian, and as he'd told his captain earlier, he drew his sword to kill. If he wanted practice at fighting without actually hurting anyone, now was definitely the time, especially since he was finally getting into the swing of aiming for the sword rather than the body. 

With that, he caught Vyse's lesser cutlass in a swift strike and threw it clear, then made a thrust that he knew the pirate would be able to block. He did, and using the weakness of his position, Ramirez forced his weight into his next attack and forced Vyse back in another reversal of motion. However, instead of letting the Admiral flow into another series of attacks, Vyse used his momentum to run to the side, opening a gap between the two swordsmen and inviting Ramirez to give chase. With a smile, the Silvite willingly took the bait and pursued, reaching the Blue Rogue in time to meet an attack with an attack, raising a clatter as their weapons met. This time, a small distance was maintained, and only the ends of their swords clanged against each other. The fight degenerated into dance for a moment, the two simply hitting each other's blade relentlessly as they moved across the deck; then, again, Vyse dodged a strike, stepped quickly around and slashed forcefully, his cutlass beating against Ramirez's scabbard. Several harsh blows were exchanged before Vyse feinted with his left cutlass, moved to attack with the right, which Ramirez caught, and then actually attacked with the left in a brutal punch to the shoulder that forced the Admiral to stagger back with a wince, holding his left hand to his assaulted right shoulder. 

Cocking a grin, Vyse moved in again, his cutlass meeting with the white-haired swordsman's sheath as Ramirez moved his left hand to the handle for the first time in that fight. They stood still for several seconds as both poured their strength into forcing the other back, and Vyse stabbed toward the Admiral's side with his left cutlass. Ramirez, however, had expected the attack and quickly sidestepped, using the opportunity to shift the flow of his energy and force his captain's main cutlass into clattering against the other. To avoid an attack, Vyse quickly stepped back, sliding his weapons away, but the Silvite, also expecting the dodge, lunged in and, when the Air Pirate stopped, cut sharply across the brunet rogue's chest in a swift diagonal motion, one that could have easily cleaved him in half. He understandably stumbled back, and mercifully, Ramirez did not follow up, content to stay at attention, now once again holding his blade one-handed. 

"You have the skill," he commented calmly when Vyse had switched into a defensive position, "and the potential to be an excellent swordsman. However, you don't take me seriously enough. If you underestimate a powerful opponent, your latent skill and potential will be useless." 

The brown-eyed Air Pirate grinned sheepishly as he shrugged. "Truth be told, I don't really want to fight you," he admitted. "Though, again, truth be told, it was pretty fun fighting you. I can see where you get your reputation." 

"Not really," the Admiral said. "In a serious battle, I'm much more vicious." 

"So you're holding back, even after you told me not to?" Vyse inquired teasingly. 

Ramirez answered with a sharp tap of his blade to the top of Vyse's head. The pirate exclaimed in pain, raising one hand to rub his head when he realized it still held a cutlass. 

"This wouldn't be a fair fight if I didn't hold back," he smirked in reply. Ramirez relaxed, lowering his sword, and went on, "Perhaps we should stop for now. That's the second time I've killed you." 

"I can keep fighting," Vyse complained, but he relaxed as well and sheathed his cutlasses regardless. With a grin, he added, "This was pretty fun. Let's do it again sometime." 

Ramirez smiled back, though the expression pained him, knowing how true his next statement would be. "We'll have to." 

"Hey, Vyse," came a young boy's voice, "here." One of the spectators of the fight, the Valuan Marco, approached his captain with a grin, offering a damp towel. Behind him was the Yafutoman builder girl, Kirala, who had been up on deck for a breath of fresh air when Vyse and Ramirez had originally arrived. 

"Thanks, Marco," Vyse smiled, accepting it and wiping the sweat from his face. 

Leaning on one leg and folding his arms behind his head, Marco commented, "That was impressive. You held your own pretty good, Vyse!" 

"Held his own pretty _well_," Ramirez murmured as he attached his sword to his belt, but his correction went unnoticed. 

"Heh, thanks again," the brunet rogue grinned, handing the towel to Ramirez, who took it. "I'm nothing compared to Ramirez, though." 

"Yeah, you were great, too," Marco said, turning to the Admiral, who was surprised to be suddenly addressed. "I've heard rumors about you back in Valua, but they're nothing compared to really seeing you fight." 

"Yes, I've heard little of your prowess, and I don't know much about fighting myself, but I've heard quite a lot about Vyse, and if you could beat him, you must be very strong, Ramirez," Kirala smiled, her arms on her hips. "Especially if you really were holding back in that fight just now." 

Ramirez paused, not quite sure how to take the unexpected compliments, and stared at the two. After that small hesitation, he returned the towel to Marco and said quietly, "Thank you. I'm grateful." 

"Still, Vyse got in some good hits too, huh?" Marco smirked up at Kirala as he swung the wet cloth over his shoulder. "Put Ramirez on the run a couple of times." 

"Heh," said pirate grinned. "I was the one doing most of the running, though..." 

"Once you got into the match, you did less of that, aside from tactical running," Ramirez commented, glancing at his companion. "You just need to learn to put aside your reservations sooner." With a faint smile, the Silvite shut his eyes and added, "If you had been serious from the start, even I with my skills might have been in trouble." 

Vyse laughed and replied, turning to Ramirez and placing his fists on his hips, "You're just saying that to make me feel better! Though I'm not complaining about it. If I could beat you, even with you holding back, that'd be something to be proud of." 

"Maybe you'll manage it someday," the Admiral said with a small, ironic quirk of a smile. "Though I doubt it." 

"Oh, shut up!" the captain of the Delphinus laughed, taking the jab good-naturedly. He faced the door leading back inside his ship and queried, "You heading back in now?" 

"If you are," Ramirez replied. Beginning to follow the brunet rogue, he glanced at Kirala and Marco, and gave them a short nod and an awkward attempt at a smile. They didn't seem to mind, though, and just smiled back. 

"See you later, Vyse!" Marco called to their backs as they walked away. 

"See you, Marco! Keep up the good work out here!" Vyse called back, glancing over his shoulder at his first crewmate with a friendly smile and wave. 

"Heh, no problem!" Marco grinned, giving him the thumbs-up. 

"See you, too, Ramirez!" Kirala added, winking. 

The Silvite glanced back in surprise, not having expected being addressed again. "Ah...right," he said vaguely, facing forward again. 

When the two had left, the Valuan boy folded his arms and commented, "Moons, that Ramirez guy sure is a jerk." 

"What?" Kirala uttered, surprised, looking down at him. "Why do you say that?" 

Glancing up at her, Marco replied, "Well, c'mon! You an' me say good things to him, and what's he say? 'Thank you, I'm grateful.' Totally insincere! And then he goes and insults Vyse. I don't like him." 

The Yafutoman girl shook her head and said, "I think you misunderstand him. I think he was sincere; he just wasn't sure of what to say. See, it's that not everyone views flattery the same way. In Yafutoma, for example, it's considered rude to accept praise right away; you're supposed to deny that you're worthy of it, and after the one complimenting you insists on it, you eventually give in and accept it." 

"That's weird," Marco declared. 

"It's not weird, it's just the way we are," the builder replied, mildly affronted. "It's probably the same for Ramirez, too. Besides, I don't think he expected to be recognized; not many people talk to him, I've noticed. I bet he's used to saying as little as possible." 

"Well...maybe," the Valuan boy conceded begrudgingly, folding his arms. "But he was still rude to Vyse!" 

"Marco, if Vyse wasn't insulted, then we shouldn't feel insulted in his place," Kirala said patiently. "Besides, as outsiders, we probably don't understand their relationship." 

"What makes _you_ an expert all of a sudden?" Marco demanded, cocking an eyebrow at the older girl. 

Turning her gaze to the door leading back into the Delphinus, Kirala replied, "I'm an outgoing girl who likes to work with her hands. In my country, that's considered to be a very strange thing—building things is men's work, you see. I don't care what others think of me, but sometimes it's a little lonely when people don't appreciate what I do. My sister Urala is a much more traditional Yafutoman girl, so she doesn't get judged like me, except when she's being compared to me." She smiled and shut her eyes. "Ramirez is out of place among us, too. I'm not sure of how or why, not knowing him very well, but that's how it feels. When you're used to being an outsider, you start to understand other people who are the same way a little." 

The Valuan lad furrowed his brows and stared at the deck, but said nothing. 

Inside, unbeknownst of this exchange, Vyse was elbowing Ramirez with a mischievous grin as they walked back to the bridge. 

"I think Kirala likes you," he teased him. 

Suppressing a groan, the silver-haired young man merely rolled his eyes. "She and I barely know each other," he pointed out. "And I've had enough of your friend's needling over Fina, so please don't start with a different girl." 

"Sorry, sorry, bad joke," Vyse grinned sheepishly. He added with a playful wink, "Kirala _is_ cute, though; you should talk to her more. Never know what might happen!" 

"Very little, most likely, as I have no interest in girls," Ramirez replied, rolling his eyes again. 

"Yeah? Why not?" Vyse inquired, eyebrows raised. 

The Admiral shrugged, definitely not wanting to tell his companion that there was a possibility, however distasteful, that it was because he was interested in boys. As they reached the top of the stairs leading to the upper level of the Delphinus, he hesitated, then turned to the door leading to the lookout. "I'm not in the mood to return to the bridge just yet," he stated. "I'll see you later." 

"Wait, I'll go with you," Vyse said. "Besides, I'm not letting you get away that easily!" 

Ramirez simply shook his head and let his companion follow him, knowing that he wouldn't be able to talk him out of it. When they both reached the top of the ladder and climbed out to admire the view from the lookout tower, the Air Pirate commented, "So, if you're not interested in girls, what _are_ you interested in?" 

"As a child, I spent a lot of my time studying maps of Arcadia," Ramirez answered after a few seconds of thought on how to reply to that. "I also studied ships and old sailing records, along with biology. Oh yes, and of course I spent a great deal of time practicing with the sword, with which, obviously, I spent an even greater amount of time once I arrived in Arcadia." 

"Sailing records, huh? You ever think you'd like to sail?" Vyse queried, watching the bottoms of mountains roll slowly by as the Delphinus flew past them. 

"Do you ever think you'd like to join the army?" the Admiral riposted flatly. 

Vyse laughed nervously in return, shutting his eyes. "Guess that's a no." Walking to and leaning over the railing, he said, "I've been sailing since I was a kid. It's always been my favorite thing to do. To me, there's nothing better than being on a ship and riding the air currents, feeling the wind on your face and traveling to new places. It's something I love to do, so it's hard for me to imagine that anyone else might not love it, too." Glancing over at Ramirez, he continued, "Do you like being in the Armada?" 

Pursing his lips slightly, Ramirez granted him, "...Not really. It's something to which I've simply grown accustomed. When I first got involved, I enjoyed it, but..." He frowned, joining Vyse near the railing. "The situation changed. Drastically. Now I stay out of duty." 

"How'd it change?" he inquired. 

"Eight-year rule," the Silvite stated simply. "It's a sensitive subject, one which I don't care to discuss." 

The young captain nearly asked what the eight-year rule was when he remembered the agreement he'd made with Ramirez recently. He nodded, though he was terribly curious, and looked out into lower sky again. "I see. That's a shame, though... You shouldn't have to do something you don't enjoy." 

"If I must be honest, had you asked me about sailing when I first came down, I would have said yes without hesitation. I used to dream of sailing when I was younger," he admitted. "But the Armada has become my life. It's not something from which I can easily separate myself." 

If warning klaxons were going off in Vyse's mind, he didn't show it. Instead, he smiled at Ramirez and said, "If you ever _do_ end up quitting somehow, you can always come sailing with me." 

"...With you?" the Silvite repeated, his face a carefully constructed mask. 

"Yeah, with me," the Blue Rogue nodded, smiling. 

The silver-haired Admiral glanced away quickly, pleased more than he cared to admit to hear that. "...Sometimes I wonder about you, Vyse," he chose to comment. 

"Huh? What do you mean?" the ship captain inquired, startled into a stare. 

"Nothing," he murmured, turning his pensive gaze to Deep Sky. And again, Vyse said something suggestive, yet didn't seem to realize that there was anything to his choice of words. Ramirez had been carefully watching for that ever since the incident during the installation of the Delphinus' new engine, and whenever he called Vyse on it, his reaction was invariably one of confusion. Either he was a brilliant actor or he really didn't realize what he was doing, and more and more doubts were accumulating as to the probability of the former... 

"Hey, if there's something bothering you, just come out and say it," Vyse said gently. "I won't know unless you tell me." 

"Eh?" Ramirez uttered, glancing up in surprise at his companion. "What makes you think something's bothering me?" 

The Blue Rogue smiled. "You said something weird, and when I asked you about it, you brushed it off," he replied. "Well, if it's just my imagination, okay, but if you have something to say to me, say it. If something _is_ bothering you, I can't change if it I don't know what it is." 

"I wasn't aware captains were in the business of catering to their crew members' desires," the Silvite frowned. 

"What?" Vyse grinned. "A good captain should always take care of his crew. That's how you build trust, respect and camaraderie." 

"..." Ramirez turned his back to and leaned against the railing, folding his arms over his chest. He had to wonder what Lord Galcian would have to say with Vyse's views on how to run a ship... He also had to wonder what he would have to say if he knew that he, Ramirez, wanted to believe the Air Pirate. "It just sounds like you're pushing the 'friendship' thing again." 

"Ramirez, tell me honestly," Vyse said, frowning slightly. "Forget we're technically on opposite sides for a moment. Would you say I'm your friend or not?" 

There was a long pause, but finally, the Silvite swordsman sighed. "...According to you, yes." 

"But if it's according to _you_, then what?" the Blue Rogue insisted. 

Again, Ramirez was silent briefly. He regarded Vyse for a moment, then glanced away and confessed, "You're quite possibly the closest friend I've ever had." 

Vyse smiled wholeheartedly and laughed a little. "That's all I really wanted to hear," he said. "You know what, Ramirez?" 

"Mm?" 

"If Aika heard me say this, she'd have something to say herself for sure," he began, folding his hands as he, too, leaned his back on the railing. "But I don't care about whatever ugly things you're hiding about your past. Sure, I'd like to hear about them, but whether I know them or not, you're still you, Ramirez. And I just want you to know, I trust you." 

Ramirez rewarded this declaration with a stunned stare. He opened his mouth a few times as if to answer, but shut it each time, unable to return any words. Knowing that Vyse trusted him...was an unmistakably warm feeling, but at the same time, Ramirez knew he would betray that trust. 

He glanced at the metal floor, reminded of Lord Galcian's words from the first time they met. "'People are not to be trusted,'" he quoted quietly. "'Depend on a person too much and they will betray your trust sooner or later.'" The Silvite turned his jade-colored eyes to Vyse. "Lord Galcian told me that when we first met. You'd do well to take heed of his words." He lowered his gaze to the floor again. "You're a fool to trust me so blindly." 

Vyse shook his head. "Sorry, but I'm going to have to completely disagree with Galcian," he said, his expression serious. "You can't have love and friendship without trust. Even if you've been hurt, you can't wallow in your pain forever, or you'll miss out on what the world can offer you." 

"...Vyse," Ramirez said softly, "have you ever been betrayed? Betrayed by someone you had known for a while? Someone you deeply trusted?" 

The Air Pirate met the Admiral's gaze, but didn't answer. 

"Then you don't know how much it truly hurts," he continued, narrowing his green eyes. "You can't know until you've experienced it." 

"I guess under those terms, getting tricked by Belleza wouldn't count?" Vyse half-joked. "I _have_ experienced it, though. I'm sure you've already heard about it, so I'll skip the details, but believe me, I wasn't happy about being deceived like that, and if Drachma hadn't saved us then, we'd be dead right now—me, Aika and Fina. It turned out all right in the end, though, and I don't begrudge Belleza for what she did anymore." 

Ramirez shook his head. "That's not the same," he said tersely. "You knew her for a few days at best. It was your own fault for trusting someone so quickly." 

"I'd rather make a mistake in trusting someone than shut out everyone by trusting no one," the Air Pirate stated quietly. "It's the same with you. I _don't_ trust you blindly. I trust you because I want to help you. You can't expect people to trust you if you don't trust them in return, so I'm going to choose to believe in you...no matter what you say." 

The white-haired Silvite bowed his head, obscuring his eyes with his bangs. When Vyse said it, he felt as if it really were true... But he was wrong. Vyse was wrong, because as soon as they secured the Yellow Moon Crystal, he would take the Crystals and rejoin Lord Galcian, and everything would be as it was meant to be. Because...that _was_ how it was meant to be, right? 

"Let me ask you one thing, then," Vyse began when he didn't respond. "What _do_ you believe in?" 

"Power," Ramirez stated without hesitation, "and strength. They, unlike people, cannot fail me. They, unlike people, will never betray me." 

The brunet rogue regarded his friend with troubled brown eyes. "Is that something Galcian told you, too?" 

"It is something he told me," he frowned, "but it is also something I learned for myself—several times over." 

"I don't know your circumstances, but Galcian's wrong," Vyse stated emphatically, frowning. "There are things more important than just power!" 

"Vyse, the worlds in which we live are completely different," Ramirez replied, narrowing his eyes. "Your philosophy works well for you, somehow, but it has nothing to do with me." 

"Ramirez, you can't possibly _really_ believe that," said the Air Pirate exasperatedly, holding out his arms for emphasis. "Hasn't your time aboard the Delphinus taught you _anything_?" 

/_It taught me that if you're nice enough, and the people to whom you're being nice are gullible enough, those people will be willing to overlook any hints that you aren't as nice as you seem, no matter how obvious those hints may be,_/ Ramirez mused, though he was admittedly not particularly elated to know this. 

"Well?" Vyse persisted when the white-haired youth remained silent. 

"...Not _everyone_ in the world besides Lord Galcian is as bad as I once thought," he finally divulged, glad that there was _something_ positive he could say that wasn't a lie. One horrible side-effect of coming to like Vyse was the growing, deep sense of guilt about deceiving him. "You, for example, I find surprisingly tolerable." 

Vyse had to laugh at that. "So I go from 'I like you' to 'I find you surprisingly tolerable'?" he grinned. "Well, it's still better than 'I hate you and I swear I'll kill you' either way..." 

"You should feel honored that I would tolerate, let alone like, you after barely a lunar cycle and a half's time," the Silvite noted, "considering how much I despise most of humanity." 

"But you're human too, though, right?" Vyse argued. "I mean, you're a Silvite, but Silvites are humans, right? So why would you hate what you are?" 

Ramirez's expression clouded. "First of all, you're making a sharp left curve from the topic at hand," he stated curtly. "Second of all, although I suppose Silvites are _technically_ human, there are significant disparities between the two that warrant differentiation." 

"Like?" the Blue Rogue prompted. 

The sixth Admiral's left hand almost twitched. Almost. Ramirez had better self-control than that. "The fact that we're not self-destructive idiots," he said flatly, and whether or not that was meant to be a joke was unclear. "Can we return to the subject?" 

Vyse frowned, rolling his eyes, but didn't press the subject. "Well then, okay. Why _do _you like me, if you hate people so much? Not that I'm complaining," he added. 

Ramirez shrugged. "You turned out to be someone worthy of respect," he replied, "and to be honest, I find your sincerity quite refreshing." 

The captain of the Delphinus smiled the warm, beaming smile of someone who has just heard something that made their day. 

This was not lost on Ramirez, and it again bothered him that his opinion mattered so much to the Blue Rogue. He wondered, not for the first time, if he should simply ask Vyse if he was homosexual; it would save a lot of time and trouble. Once again, though, the knowledge of the complications that would surely arise if he _did_ ask, regardless of the answer, stayed his tongue. It was probably just wishful thinking, anyway. 

Instead, he said, "We've been out for a while, Vyse. We should return to the bridge. You _do_ have your duties as captain." 

"Huh? Aww. All right," the Blue Rogue conceded. "You're right. Let's go." 

As they began to head back, Vyse climbing down the ladder first, Ramirez glanced out at the graying skies. Troubled, he wondered what Lord Galcian would say if he knew of this camaraderie he shared with the Air Pirate who continually interfered with his plans, and what he was thinking now...  
  
  
  
As it were, at the moment, Galcian was in his headquarters in the Grand Fortress and regarding the light that reflected off of Ilazki, Ramirez's sword, as he held it aloft and turned it to certain angles. The spiked sheath rested on the table before him, quietly if not begrudgingly awaiting the return of the blade, and the moment when both returned to their rightful master's skilled hand. 

It had been quite a while since he had seen that rightful master, his loyal servant, but that was soon to change. At this very moment, Vyse and the other filthy Air Pirates were likely on their way to collect the Yellow Crystal for him, with Ramirez waiting quietly on the bylines for the moment to steal them, again for him. Galcian could not help but appreciate all the measures to which others went, all for him; it was befitting for the one meant to control this planet. He felt no pity for the Air Pirates, who would surely be horrified when they learned that they had been duped so completely; it was their own fault for being so foolish as to accept _his_ servant into their loathsome company. Their skills may have been greater than he'd initially expected, but their intelligence clearly was lacking. All the better for him; once he had acquired the six Moon Crystals, Ramirez returned to him and they taught those noisome Blue Rogues a lesson in true despair, there would be nothing left to oppose him. Valua itself would fall on its knees before him, and the world, too, would soon recognize him as its true leader. 

That went for those hiding underneath the rocks of Valua as well. Galcian smirked; he knew many of _those_ people would gladly kill to be where he was now, both figuratively and literally. The master swordsman tilted Ilazki again; what _would_ they say if they knew he was so casually holding the legendary Sword of the Dark Moon? He had to wonder as well what they would say if they knew he had tolerated it remaining in the possession of a _Silvite_ for the past seven years. It _was_ a shame to leave it in such ignoble hands, but he himself never had any interest in the awesome artifact, and the one who wielded it was his devoted puppet, anyway, for whom he...begrudgingly admitted he had some paternal affection. Yes, the Grand Admiral was content to allow Ramirez to swing the ancient blade on his behalf. 

He tilted Ilazki again now to have it reflect his cold, blue eyes back at him. Galcian smirked. Yes, if any of _them_ expected to ride on the coattails of _his_ success, they would be sorely surprised. That had been their intentions ever since the beginning, hadn't it? But the soon-to-be sovereign of Arcadia had no intentions of allowing that. They were unquestionably strong, so it would be a waste to kill them; he'd simply have to bind them to their unshakable honor, _his_ unshakable honor, by commanding they all swear utter fealty to him before he so much as glanced at them. And then, once that was complete...he'd place them under Ramirez's command. 

The delicious irony of it would be perfect for those who had dared to disrespect him—he, Galcian, the one who would before long hold the greatest power in the world.  
  
  
  
Locating the Maw of Tartas was a tedious task, but Vyse didn't particularly mind; finding all these discoveries while trying to get to it was reward enough! Besides, although it took a few hours, he did manage to find the gaping hole into the depths of Valua hidden among the crags. It wasn't like it was the Dark Rift; _that_ had been hell. 

The interior of the Maw of Tartas wasn't much better, he quickly found, what with all the pathways branching here and there, often to nowhere. It wasn't fun, what with having to deal with the resident monsters as well as backtracking whenever he picked the wrong branch, but again, he and the others found their way to the place where the slumbering Yellow Gigas Yeligar hid, along with the Yellow Moon Crystal. Their efforts to take the Crystal without awakening the massive monster failed, and the battle that ensued literally tore apart the skies. Eventually, however, the Delphinus and its Moon Stone Cannon and top-class armor bested the beast, and with a screech, Yeligar exploded, leaving behind only a crater where the seal 'binding' it had been and a brilliantly shining yellow crystal. 

Vyse had to wonder what the heck was the sense of creating a Gigas that self-destructed upon defeat was—how could the ancient citizens of the Yellow Civilization fix it? It certainly couldn't have been an easy task to build it, and making another from scratch was just... Well, he didn't have time to ponder things like that; the Yellow Crystal was waiting for them at the bottom of that crater, and he, Aika, Fina, Enrique and Ramirez all went to retrieve it. 

"Well," Fina had said rather unenthusiastically, picking up the shimmering jewel. "With this, we've got all the Crystals, but..." 

"That's great, Fina!" Aika reminded. "What are you so depressed about?" 

"Now that we've got the Yellow Crystal, my mission is over," the pale-haired young lady reflected with a trouble expression. "I'll have to return home...leaving all of you behind." She flashed a wistful smile at her childhood friend. "Well, not _all_ of you. You'll be coming back with me, right, Ramirez?" 

"...As I understood it," he said calmly, thinking quickly, "your ship sank beneath the clouds when Alfonso took you prisoner. You'll have to find it before anyone can go there. And if you can't find it..." He trailed off purposely, and Fina got the idea. 

"That's right," she said hopefully. "If we can't find it, we can't return! But..." she added, growing downcast, "but I shouldn't think that; we must take the Crystals back..." 

Enrique, not wanting to intrude but knowing what he had to say needed to be said, interrupted, "Pardon me, but we should leave quickly. The Armada will likely come to inspect the source of that explosion just now, and we want to be far from here when that happens. We can discuss this later, Fina, Ramirez." 

/_An astute guess,_/ the young Silvite man silently commented even as he nodded his assent; /_Lord Galcian will investigate, and when he sees the remains of the seal, he'll know the Yellow Crystal is in our possession, and mobilize to come...attack..._/ 

The train of Ramirez's thought...didn't _quite_ become a flaming wreck, but the tracks received quite a nasty shock when he realized that in his mind, that 'our' referred not to him with Galcian, but him with Vyse and the others. In short, he had grouped himself with them, and it had seemed so natural at the moment that he didn't realize what he had said until afterwards. He had served faithfully under Lord Galcian for the past seven years, and he had been in Vyse's company for less than two lunar cycles; _why_ had he associated himself with them, rather than just thinking of them as 'the Air Pirates' or even 'Vyse and company'? 

Had he been talking out loud, he would have been rendered speechless. As it where, he simply mentally sputtered, widened eyes the only external indication of his revelation, /_When did I start thinking of myself as being a part of these people...?_/ 

The mental slip perhaps wouldn't have bothered him so much if it weren't for his tumultuous feelings for Vyse, along with the guilt and self-doubt plaguing him as the moment of truth grew ever nearer. He didn't care about what Fina or anyone else thought of him, but he didn't like the thought of Vyse staring at him with hurt, unbelieving eyes. 

"Hey, Ramirez!" yelled said Air Pirate, looking back quizzically from several feet away, noticing that his friend had yet to move. "Something the matter?" 

"Ah...no," he called back, moving quickly to catch up to the group. "I simply became lost in thought. Excuse me." 

"What were you thinking about?" Vyse inquired curiously, still looking at Ramirez as they climbed up the crater. 

"Just what Fina and I were just speaking of," the sixth Admiral lied smoothly. 

"Oh, all right," Vyse said easily, looking back up to the Delphinus, and Ramirez subsequently felt his guts twist with shame. 

His guilt did not abate as they prolonged the inevitable return by spending the night anchored under Valua; it was late, after all, and after the grueling battle with Yeligar, they all agreed it would be best to sleep now and sail back in the morning. What with one thing and another—Aika and Fina's inane antics, the work that had to be done with the engine, the reassuring thought that it would still be a while before he handed Vyse and company over to Lord Galcian—he had somehow forgotten the repercussions of his actions. Or perhaps it wasn't that he forgot, but he hadn't allowed himself to think of it in that way before for this very reason, to avoid this hideous self-reproach. 

When Lord Galcian arrived, he would be highly unlikely to hold back against Vyse and company. Ramirez knew this well; he was there when he razed his father's isle. Furthermore, with his plans so close to fruition, he would be unlikely to bother with Valuan "etiquette" and drag Vyse and company there for "trial". No, he'd kill them all where they stood, for the dead cannot take arms against you. 

It wasn't as if Ramirez had never killed before. It was hardly as if there weren't a few people on Crescent Isle he wouldn't mind cutting down himself. However, Vyse...that idiot, that complete _idiot_, _trusted_ him, even after he'd stopped short of simply _telling_ him, 'Vyse, I'm going to betray you.' 

Or was he aware? He must at least suspect it... Was the captain of the Delphinus so willing to gamble this much—his freedom, his life, the lives of all his friends and crewmates—in order to "turn" him? He was going to have the letdown of his life; Ramirez had served Galcian for the past seven years of his life, and to turn against _him_ simply for Vyse was pure fallacy. 

Yet still, he wavered. 

He had followed Lord Galcian because he had firmly believed that he was the only one who could save this wretched planet and its inhabitants from themselves. He had followed Lord Galcian because he had sworn that, ever since that black day seven years ago, he would believe in only strength and follow only those with power. Lord Galcian was unmatched by anyone in this world in terms of power, and he could only grow stronger... Vyse couldn't hope to be a match against him in a fair, even fight. It would be like trying to light a match in a windstorm: no matter how hard he tried to do otherwise, he would only be extinguished. 

However... 

What Ramirez had said before was certainly true: not everyone in this world was corrupt, aside from Lord Galcian. Vyse had charm and purity, and although it had hardly budded, his own strength was sure to flower and grow fruit. Given enough time and training, Ramirez did not doubt that, one day, Vyse could become Lord Galcian's rival. He had already thwarted him several times thus far, and was even building his own army in order to oppose him... Well, to oppose Valua, but when he realized the truth, that would quickly change. 

He did not hate Vyse. 

On the contrary, he...liked him. 

The white-haired swordsman furrowed his brows in anxiety, leaning his head against an arm, which in turn he leaned against the wall. Like? Mere "like"? Oh, so is _that_ what this affection was called—this quiet calm that he felt around so few people, this flush of heat, this quickening palpitation, this unbidden jealousy toward any of Vyse's love interests, this...desire not to hurt? This torment over what should have been a simple matter of returning to his rightful place? This ache at the knowledge that, though they could be nothing _but_ enemies, he no longer wished to be his enemy? 

Ramirez shut his eyes. 

Tell yourself something enough times and even lies will become truth... Though he was not fond of the presumptuous, meddling woman, and he disagreed with many of her philosophies, the Silvite knew Arianne was not, in spite of her insistence on "helping" him, a total fool. There were things she had said that rang true. 

Ramirez bit back a depressed sigh. There was no turning back; he would betray Vyse, he would hand over the Moon Crystals to Lord Galcian, he would cut down the Air Pirates by his own hand. There was just one small monkey wrench in that plan: 

He was undoubtedly, irrevocably in love with Vyse. 

Ramirez was further beginning to seriously doubt his ability to do any of these things. Yet, he had no choice; Lord Galcian was counting on him to complete his mission and steal the Crystals. If he spared Vyse, he would betray Lord Galcian, and he _could not_ do that, not after all his father-figure had done for him—removing the blindfold from his eyes, teaching him the truth of the world, honing his abilities to their utmost, giving him guidance... It was nothing like Admiral Mendosa, who had been using him from the start. Lord Galcian was moved by neither flattery nor money; he was his strength and his honor, and though there were those who might disagree with his methods, he was not mistaken. Ramirez continued to strongly believe that even through his hesitation. 

It was just...perhaps there were some shameful things that were permissible even in the Grand Admiral's rigid world? He had said himself that he trusted no one, but Lord Galcian trusted _him_, didn't he? So far as anyone could trust anyone else. Perhaps it would be all right to trust Vyse... 

/_But no, no, I couldn't do that,_/ he thought frantically, vaguely aware that he was spinning in circles. /_Trusting Vyse would mean turning my back on Lord Galcian, and Lord Galcian is the savior of Arcadia!_ _This world is filled with weaklings all hoarding worthless things for themselves and stepping on others! The only way to save it is to _crush_ the weak and give leadership to the strong!_/ It was like a religious manta, and the torn Silvite repeated it as if it would bring order to the chaos in his heart./_But...but..._/ 

Ramirez sorely wished he had not fallen for someone whose ideals clashed so violently with his own. 

Why _had_ he fallen for Vyse, then, if they disagreed so fundamentally? What drew him to the Blue Rogue? 

The answer was depressingly obvious: there had been a time where he would have believed in all of Vyse's words wholeheartedly, with near-childlike abandon. There had been a time, years ago, where traveling with Vyse—sailing the skies, discovering new lands and peoples, learning the countless secrets of the world and befriending Arcadian after Arcadian—would have meant all his dreams had come true. Vyse reminded him of himself, his self who had died seven years ago, buried along with Admiral Mendosa... 

Was that innocent part of himself trying to revive in him—that innocence that had brought about his own ruin? That naïveté that had threatened his life on more than one occasion... Ramirez thought he had crushed it under his heel; even his youthful optimism, his foolish hope that perhaps he had been mistaken and Mendosa had been a horrible fluke rather than the rule, had died out as the world proved to him again and again that the late Admiral had indeed been of the rule. Yet, even after all of that, it was trying to return to his frozen heart... 

/_There is no way this can end well,_/ Ramirez thought dismally before the sound of someone entering the room interrupted his musings. 

It was Vyse, of course, seeing as this was his room. The jade-eyed swordsman glanced at him, and his expression must have told quite a story, for the first thing the pirate said was, "Is something wrong?" 

"No," Ramirez lied unconvincingly, moving away from the wall to his makeshift floor-bed. "Nothing is wrong." 

The captain of the Delphinus frowned, clearly doubtful, but he thankfully did not push it. Instead, he shut the door behind him and walked over to and sat down on his bed. "We should get you your own room," he commented, regarding the Silvite's arrangements. "You're probably sick of sleeping on the floor whenever we're on the Delphinus." 

"I don't mind," the Admiral murmured, his gaze cast to the floor. "You needn't go through the trouble." 

"Well, you should at least have your own bed," Vyse insisted, pulling off his boots. "You can't be comfortable on that hard floor." 

"It doesn't matter to me," the snowy-haired swordsman insisted; "I've slept under worse conditions." 

"But according to you, you hardly sleep at all," the Blue Rogue argued. 

"Thus why you shouldn't bother; I won't sleep for any longer with or without a proper bed, so why suffer the hassle?" Ramirez countered. 

"If you're sure..." Vyse said doubtfully. 

/_I won't be sleeping on the Delphinus for many more nights, if any at all,_/ the Silvite thought darkly, but he merely nodded and lied down. 

There was a moment of silence as Ramirez kept his gaze fixed on the ceiling while Vyse changed into his bedclothes; then the captain of the Delphinus collapsed onto his bed with a yawn. 

"Moons, did we go through a lot today," he said sleepily. "But we've finally got all the Crystals. Once we find a way to get Fina back home, she'll have finally completed her mission." 

/_I'm well aware of that, Vyse,_/ Ramirez thought, equally tired but for different reasons. "Do you realize that if Fina returns to her home with the Moon Crystals, you will never see her again?" /_If only for the fact that the Rains of Destruction will wipe you and all your loved ones out,_/ he added morbidly. 

The brunet rogue didn't answer immediately. When he finally spoke, he quietly said, "Maybe not. If we can get back her original ship, then she could always come back to visit." 

/_No she wouldn't. There would not be a world_ to_ visit,_/ the silver-haired swordsman thought morosely. "That makes sense." 

"Hey..." Vyse turned his head to gaze down at Ramirez, who still stared straight at the ceiling. "Are you going to go back with Fina, too?" 

That was quite possibly the most awkward question Vyse had ever asked him, and he could see no way to answer it diplomatically _and_ truthfully. As easy as it would be to lie, as he had been doing for so long, he somehow didn't have the energy for it tonight. 

"No," the Admiral shortly decided to reply. "The Elders and I have never been fond of each other, although I...was more obedient towards them after Hahaue's death." Vyse was silent as Ramirez went on curtly, "In addition, they sent Fina and me down to Arcadia in order to collect the Moon Crystals. As long as they successfully received the five Crystals that were hidden down here, they couldn't care less if neither of us came back." 

"You can't be serious," Vyse protested. "They might have been harsh with you, but they're still your people. They'd have to care if neither of you came back!" 

After a moment of consideration, Ramirez conceded the point with a nod and said with a deceptive lack of bitterness, "You're right. They'd care if _Fina_ didn't come back." 

"That's not—" the Blue Rogue began, exasperated, but he cut himself off. He'd get nowhere if he attempted to argue the point with the Silvite. In either case, he had to admit that he was happy Ramirez wouldn't be returning... "What are you going to do when she goes back?" he asked instead. 

There was a brooding moment of silence as the white-haired swordsman pondered the inquiry. If Fina returned to the Great Silver Shrine with the Crystals, he wouldn't have to worry about betraying anyone, because shortly afterwards, they would likely all be dead from the Rains of Destruction. Finally, he said in all honesty, "I don't know." /_Fortunately, the point is moot,_/ Ramirez added grimly. /_Before the week is out, Lord Galcian will be in possession of them._/ 

It would be fortunate for _him_, at least...somehow. 

"If you want, you can stay with us," Vyse suggested hopefully, although the accompanying grin was wry. 

Ramirez glanced up at him, bestowing him a small smile, and said with a slight laugh, intending to humor the brunet, "I'll stay with you until you die." 

Obviously, the two had very different ideas of when the Blue Rogue would die, because rather than rolling his eyes, frowning, sweating or otherwise getting angry or worried, Vyse blushed maroon and dipped his head to let his bangs hide his eyes. "Uh...er...that's kind of..." he stammered. /_...Moons. Moons! What the hell was that?!_/ he thought frantically, more profoundly affected by Ramirez's declaration than he would have anticipated. His face was hot with blood, and no wonder, considering how quickly his heart was pumping it through his body. /_Moons...that's... I never expected him to say _that_..._/ Averting his gaze and running a hand through his hair to hide his face, Vyse hesitantly queried, more to have something to say than to have anything clarified, "What...do you mean?" 

Ramirez likewise had his gaze fixed on the wall opposite Vyse, having realized too late how badly his words could be taken. This was bad; he'd never meant for things to take this turn, and if Vyse figured out his feelings... He'd have to bluff his way out. On the other hand, it would be as painful for Vyse _not_ to know as it would be for him to know... There was no way the dashing rogue would return what he felt—Ramirez was nearly certain of that. There is a big difference between _nearly_ and _completely_, and it tormented him still, so he gambled and replied as tactfully as possible, "...I apologize. I meant to...tease you, to parody your words as of late. It seems you took me...seriously, however." 

"Wait, what are you talking about?" the captain of the Delphinus inquired, leaning forward even as his face remained scarlet. 

Ramirez glanced toward Vyse, allowing his pale bangs to mask his eyes. "'If you ever _do_ end up quitting somehow, you can always come sailing with me.' Note that you said not _us_, but _me_. Then, 'I don't care about whatever ugly things you're hiding about your past... I just want you to know, I trust you.' You can only press these kinds of words for so long before they start coming across as sounding...rather odd," he explained, keeping his tone level. "And finally, and most damningly, 'I like you.' These are all statements that...can make something about you rather questionable." 

"Wait, you don't mean..." Vyse began, the heat in his face now from a different kind of embarrassment. 

"It's not the sort of thing I would think a man typically says to another _man_," Ramirez added evenly, the emphasis slight but noticeable. 

"Oh, _Moons_," the brunet rogue groaned, covering his face with one hand. "I didn't mean it that way, I swear I didn't!" 

"I didn't think you did," the silver-haired youth commented, casting his gaze aside. "But I had to wonder, since you've been doing it for a while." 

"No, you've gotta be kidding!" Vyse protested. "Aw, geez... I'm sorry! Oh, Moons, this is so embarrassing..." 

He shook his head, still not looking at his captain. "Don't worry about it." 

"I can't _help_ but worry about it!" the rogue replied, flopping onto the bed. "I can't believe I made you think I might be gay!" 

"It's not as bad as you think," Ramirez replied a little more tersely than he'd intended. He realized too late that his statement could be interpreted a couple of different ways, but Vyse, in his distress, didn't seem to catch the more incriminating subtext. 

"Still," he moaned, "that's so... I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable!" he added fervently, turning his head to look pleadingly at his roommate. 

"Forget about it," Ramirez sighed. "I shouldn't have brought it up." 

Vyse covered his head with his pillow for a moment, then removed it and reassured his friend with an apologetic smile, "No, don't say that. I told you earlier that if something's bothering you, you should tell me." He set his pillow back down and rested his elbows on it, propping himself up. "It's better that we got this cleared up so there aren't any more weird misunderstandings, right? I don't want you thinking I might have a crush on you or something!" he added with a dismissive laugh. 

/_I might be happier if you did,_/ Ramirez thought morosely, although he knew it wasn't true. If Vyse _had_ had feelings for him, it would make carrying out his duty that much more difficult. "It's fine. Let's just go to sleep." 

"All right," the Air Pirate replied, dousing the lights and shifting his pillow properly. He was up for a long while thinking, however, about the confrontation just now with Ramirez. 

Specifically, it reminded him of when he'd joking wondered if when Ramirez had told him he liked him, he'd actually been confessing his love. He was glad he didn't think of that as any more than a joke—he didn't want to put the withdrawn Silvite through the mortification he'd just experienced! Vyse couldn't help but think, though, about his relationship with Ramirez, and what he felt about him. He wasn't gay, of _course_, but he _was_ awfully fond of the guy, in spite of...well, everything, really. He mused that to Ramirez especially, it must feel really weird, for someone who—Vyse regretfully admitted—barely knew him to like him so much as to say so. With that in mind, it would probably be natural to wonder about his orientation. Vyse was glad he only wondered and didn't assume; that would have been humiliating! 

...Or would it have been? Ramirez didn't sound like it had bothered him that much, more like it had been a question of merely academic interest. Or maybe that had only been because he turned out to be not gay, who knew? But if Ramirez took it that much in stride, he probably shouldn't sweat over it so much, either. That of course implied that he should stop thinking about it and go to sleep, but tonight, Vyse's thought pattern ignored logic. 

The brunet pirate folded his arms under his head and stared up through the darkness at the ceiling. /_Would it really be a big deal to like another guy?_/ he wondered. The concept weirded him out, sure, but at the same time it piqued his interest. Vyse was, after all, not the type to leave an experience untried, or run away from something because it was a little intimidating. And he _did_ like Ramirez; he liked him a lot, whether he was talking to him, joking around with him, just being near him or even arguing with him. His fellow swordsman was standoffish a lot of the time, but there were also times where he was unusually warm, usually when it was just the two of them. The young captain liked girls, true, but the more he got used to the idea of...well, being gay, the less he found it to be unappealing. And if he were with Ramirez, the two of them really could be together as friends and more, and the handsome rogue found that prospect surprisingly attractive... 

Vyse blushed crimson and grimaced, deeply glad that the target of his attention couldn't see him in the dark and at this angle. It was all well and good to have these idle thoughts, but now he was getting a little _too_ involved. Propositioning Ramirez would be, Vyse was certain, the fastest, surest way to make the reserved Silvite hate him ardently once again. Besides, it was stupid of him to take these late-night musings seriously. 

/_Better just stop thinking and go to sleep already!_/ he chided himself, turning on his side away from Ramirez and pulling the covers up. He was up for hours, though, his brain fixed on making nervous noises, rudely reminding him that it was highly likely that his roommate was probably also awake, and wouldn't he like to discuss these things with him, because didn't he want to get all these things out in the open? 

Vyse kept his mouth shut, though. He didn't want to wreck his already tenuous friendship with the reluctant Admiral. 

Ramirez, in the meantime, was in a state somewhere between sleep and wakefulness for most of the time while Vyse agonized over his discrepancies, lulled partially by the pirate's rhythmic breathing. He had missed, he found, sleeping in the same room as the headstrong rogue, and just the sound of him inhaling and exhaling was enough to relax him, to gradually set him floating in a sea of somnolence... 

_It was dark. That was reasonable, Ramirez mused; it was night, after all. It didn't occur to him to recognize that he was dreaming, because that would mean he was asleep. There were four tall, thin, pale, rectangular shapes, like giant playing cards, a short ways away all leaning against each other, and with proper caution, he went to investigate them. Their backs shared a uniform pattern, namely that silly design Fina had created as the Delphinus' flag, lending weight to the thought that they were man-sized cards. He had to admit that it was appropriate, though, to give the Delphinus the image of its namesake, the long-extinct dolphin._

_The snowy-haired Admiral cautiously touched one of the cards, and at the barest scraping of his gloved fingertips, all four cards stood straight and rigidly to attention, then rapidly moved backwards and away from each other for several yards before they stopped and stood ominously, like four painted obelisks radiating white in the fathomless dark._

_Ramirez looked around swiftly at the four cards, having jumped out of the way as soon as they had abruptly stood. The faces of these cards were of the King set, one for each suit, but that wasn't the odd thing about them. The odd thing, undeniably, was that featured as the King of Hearts, Diamonds and Spades was Vyse, in his usual clothes, but in different positions with different expressions and different accessories. The King of Clubs, the card that he had touched, was oddly blank except for its border and letter K, along with the club symbol. The King of Hearts, to the right of the King of Clubs, was smiling out with a look of compassion and affection on his face, holding in both hands cups of burgundy-colored loqua, on at his hip, the other held aloft as he stood straight and proudly. The King of Diamonds, to the left of the King of Clubs, was smirking lazily, his expression one with which Ramirez was well familiar, though only on others, never on Vyse—namely, one of arrogant self-assurance that he did indeed deserve the golden coins he was flipping into the air with one hand and clutching greedily in the other. Ramirez frowned at the sight, troubled, but it was not nearly as disturbing as the King of Spades, who stood ready for battle opposite the King of Clubs, his arms crossed across his body, his deadly sharp cutlasses ready to cut down any in his way, his wild brown eyes and manic grin both alight with perverse anticipation of the sight of blood._

_"What in the six Moons is this...?" Ramirez murmured, turning his gaze from card to card as he stepped backwards slowly, his back to the curiously blank King of Clubs. He hesitated for a moment, then headed towards the nearest card, the King of Spades, with the intentions of touching it._

_"I wouldn't do that if I were you," came Vyse's voice. Ramirez drew back immediately and turned swiftly to face the rogue._

_He looked as if he had just stepped out of a card; he was smiling his usual friendly smile, leaning on a long wooden staff held in his right arm, one leg tucked underneath the other, and holding another staff tilted up at an angle in the other arm._

_Considering he was standing right in front of the still blank King of Clubs, the Silvite had the distinct, disconcerting feeling that he _had_ stepped out of a card._

_"Vyse?" he ventured, taking a step toward him._

_"Who else?" he grinned. "No, maybe you shouldn't answer that. Here, catch." He straightened and threw the staff in his left hand toward the Silvite, who caught it easily and regarded it with a puzzled frown, then looked up at his companion._

_"What exactly is going on?" he questioned 'Vyse'. "Did you come from that blank card?"_

_"Heh, that's my Ramirez!" the staff-wielding card-pirate laughed. "Sharp as always!" He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder back at the blank card. "Yeah, I came from there. When you touched that card, you let me out. Lucky thing you got me instead of one of these other guys."_

_The Silvite Admiral glanced around warily at the other cards. "How so?"_

_"Well," the King of Clubs began in the tone of someone admitting he said something that wasn't entirely true, "you'd probably like _him_," he pointed his staff at the King of Hearts, "all considering."_

_"'All considering'?" Ramirez repeated, frowning at Clubs-Vyse._

_"Well, you _are_ in love with me," and the Silvite greeted this blasé statement with an expression of shocked horror, "and he's all for loving you back, so I don't know, you might like having some of your fantasies come true."_

_"—How—how—" Ramirez said very quietly, eyes wide._

_Clubs-Vyse grinned apologetically and shrugged. "It's true, right?"_

_Ramirez didn't answer, opting instead to give what he deemed to be an imposter a guarded glare._

_"Hey, don't look at me like that," he protested with a frown. "It's not _my_ fault you think I'm sexy. OW!" He rubbed his head where Ramirez had rapped him smartly with the staff he'd been given. "Hey! I didn't give you that to beat _me_ up! Moons, Ramirez, I only said the truth!"_

_The Silvite continued to glare, decidedly not amused. "I want explanations," he stated in a tone that did not brook arguments._

_"Heh... No dissuading you when you're stuck on something, huh," the fake Vyse grinned, still rubbing his head. "That hurt, you know..."_

_"Did you know that a properly-aimed blow from a staff to the temples is as effective at killing someone as a bullet to the head?" Ramirez inquired steely._

_"All right, all right!" Clubs-Vyse said, waving his hands in defeat, slightly alarmed. "I'll have you know that I don't really know what's going on either, being a whole part of this," he added defensively._

_"Whatever, just get on with it," Ramirez said brusquely._

_"Sheesh, can't wait even a minute, can you?" not-Vyse muttered, placing a fist on his hip. "All right. Basically, the four of us are images, I guess, in your mind, reflecting different aspects of Vyse."_

_Ramirez frowned. "We're in my mind?"_

_"That's not important," Clubs-Vyse said impatiently. "Anyway, me, I'm Vyse as your friend. I'm the closest one to the 'real' Vyse, the Vyse you perceive without any biases. That guy," he pointed his staff toward the King of Hearts, "is Vyse as you want him to be—namely, in love with you. Like I said, you might want to try talking to him."_

_"That's _not_—" Ramirez began to protest hotly, but Clubs-Vyse continued blithely, now aiming his staff at the King of Diamonds, "That's Vyse as you originally perceived him. Consequently, he's a bastard. If you touch his card—not that I think you would—give him a few good raps on the head for me, he annoys the hell out of me. And _that_," he concluded, pointing straight ahead, and Ramirez turned to view the King of Spades, "...I don't know _what_ the hell _he_ is, much less where he came from." The Clubs-Vyse paused pensively, then continued, "I guess he might be best described as the Vyse you fear."_

_"Fear?" Ramirez repeated, swiveling back to raise an eyebrow at him. "_Vyse_?"_

_Clubs-Vyse scratched his scar, quietly beholding the King of Spades, and shrugged. "Don't ask me," he replied. "I'll just say this, though—if you weren't afraid of Vyse, that guy wouldn't exist. He's nasty, Ramirez, ruthless and completely insane. I don't know why he even exists to begin with." He leveled his gaze at the silver-haired swordsman. "You must have a really poor opinion of me deep down if someone like _that_ exists in your mind."_

_Ramirez regarded him wordlessly for a moment, then took a few steps toward the King of Hearts, now beholding that figure with a thoughtful frown. "...What happens to you if I touch another card?"_

_Clubs-Vyse grinned. "So you care what happens to me? I'm flattered," he said jokingly. "I dunno. I guess I just stay here, and the other Vyse appears?"_

_After a moment of staring at the chalice-bearing Vyse, he Silvite glanced back at the King of Clubs. "...You said you're the most like the 'real' Vyse," he said. "Does this mean that these others are just delusions?"_

_"We're _all_ delusions," Clubs-Vyse corrected him. "No matter how well you observe someone, you can't really know him for real. I'm the most like the real Vyse, but I'm still just a figment."_

_"For my perception of Vyse, you certainly are intelligent," Ramirez observed._

_Clubs-Vyse laughed heartily at that. "Hey, give me some credit!" he said with a wink. "I'm smart—you're just a blind spot of mine. You know that too, otherwise I wouldn't be able to say it."_

_Ramirez hesitated for a second longer, then set down his staff, turned to the depiction of King of Hearts, and hesitantly reached out and touched it._

_The image abruptly burned away, as if it had been an oil painting and his fingers a flame. The card itself remained; the King of Hearts had merely vanished, seared away._

_The Silvite didn't have long to wonder where and when he would appear, because he heard the clink of goblets being set down on a stone floor, and immediately afterwards, two strong arms embraced him from behind. Ramirez struggled out of instinct, but the arms just held tighter, and a gentle laugh sounded in his ear._

_"You don't have to fight me," Vyse's voice tenderly sounded. "I won't hurt you."_

_The white-haired Silvite stiffened and obeyed; if the Clubs-Vyse had been telling the truth, then this Hearts-Vyse would be... He instead tried to turn around, which the Vyse holding him allowed him to do, and look up into the face of his loving captor._

_The new Vyse smiled tenderly down at him, with the sweet affection of a lover. Ramirez blinked and glanced away, a blush creeping over his face; it was simply too strange that _anyone_ would look at him like that, let alone Vyse _or_ his doppelganger._

_"There's no need to feel embarrassed," Hearts-Vyse told him softly, holding him a bit closer—Ramirez placed his arms on his chest; if he needed to, he could push away. "I love you..."_

_The Silvite's blush deepened, and he began to babble a reply when the second Vyse took hold of his chin, tilted his head up, and leaned in to kiss him._

_Ramirez froze, panic coursing through his heart, but after the first several frantic beats, it and he calmed down, and letting his eyelids drift shut, he relaxed._

_The funny thing was, though, that there wasn't anything to enjoy. The kiss felt like air, and the embrace was equally empty. It wasn't long before his eyes opened halfway, a trouble expression crossing his face as he attempted to pull away._

_Hearts-Vyse allowed him to do so, releasing his hold on the dreaming Admiral as he did. He continued to smile as if nothing were wrong, and raised a hand to stroke Ramirez's white hair. The Silvite, however, quickly ducked away from his grasp and slipped by past him, almost running several steps away and turning around swiftly to face his pseudo-amorous delusion._

_Hearts-Vyse turned with Ramirez and reached for him, looking hurt. "Why are you running away?" he queried, stepping forward, a pleading note in his voice. "Isn't this what you wanted? To be loved?"_

_"..." The green-eyed swordsman didn't know how to answer, so instead he ignored the second doppelganger, but for taking a step backwards to balance Hearts-Vyse's advance, and glanced sharply at the first, who was sitting on the nonexistent floor away from them, his fingers in his ears. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded. "There was nothing in that kiss! That can't possibly be what I wanted! HEY!" Ramirez raised his voice when the doppelganger continued to ignore him. "Listen to when people are talking to you!!"_

_With an exaggerated sigh, Clubs-Vyse removed his fingers and stood to face Ramirez, folding his arms. "Tell me, Ramirez, have you ever been kissed?"_

_"He just was!" Hearts-Vyse protested, but nobody paid attention to him._

_"No," Ramirez stated._

_"Then you wouldn't know what being kissed is like."_

_"...No."_

_"So, if you're in your mind, and you get kissed by an illusion _generated _by your mind, how's it supposed to feel like anything if you have no prior experience with it?"_

_The logic in this stunned Ramirez, and Hearts-Vyse took it as an opening to try to wrap his arms around him again. Ramirez, instinctively shying away from the touch and not too happy with this "illusion" regardless, leaped back and retreated several feet, glaring at the intrusive fake._

_Hearts-Vyse in turn glared at Clubs-Vyse, who looked back at him with a "What did _I_ do?" stare. "_Must_ you interfere with our love?" he demanded imperiously._

_The first imposter had to smile. "I didn't interfere," he replied. "Ramirez asked me a question and I answered it. That's all."_

_"He's running away from me, when all I want is for him to be happy! To be loved!" the amour protested. "Since he doesn't understand either of those things, it's up to me to teach him! He _needs_ me!"_

_"Wait, what did you say?" Ramirez cut in, wide-eyed with surprise._

_Hearts-Vyse turned a patient, doting smile to him, gratified to be addressed for the first time. Advancing a step, to which he was pleased to see that the Silvite only tensed for escape rather than actually escaping, he said in a soothing voice, "My lovely Ramirez, you have no one who loves you. But _I_ love you, and I'll always love you! You need me, just as I need you. Don't fight it; you'll never know love if you do! Please, come with me, Ramirez," Hearts-Vyse continued, drawing closer as Ramirez drew away. "For no one will ever love you but me."_

_The silver-haired swordsman gaped. _This_ was _his_ fantasy? It was undeniably twisted, and he had a strong suspicion that he knew the answer why. What the two had hinted was true: he knew nothing of romantic love. Knowing nothing, of course this image would be warped... But there was something especially wrong about it. This _couldn't_ be his 'fantasy'; he hated it!_

_Ramirez's eyes widened. Hated it? Of course—because of his conflicting loyalties, he was torn between wanting and rejecting Vyse. And because of that, it made this...thing... He retreated again as Hearts-Vyse tried once more to woo him._

_"Hey, WATCH WHERE YOU'RE—" Clubs-Vyse shouted, alarmed, but his warning came too late as Ramirez hit a card back-first. The Silvite glanced sharply up and back in time to see the King of Diamonds' smirking face burn away. "Going," Clubs sighed. "I'll get the staff you dropped, Ramirez. You'll need it."_

_"Oh, come off it," another Vyse said scornfully when the Clubs had reached the second weapon; Ramirez looked sharply over to the King of Spades to see the newcomer leaning against the sinister card, idly flipping gold coins into the air and effortlessly catching them. "_You_, beat _me_ off? I'm stronger than you, you idiot, and you should know it. 'Cause _I'm_ the one Ramirez knows best. Isn't that right, Mr. All People Are Scum?" he added with a smarmy smirk at the Silvite._

_Hearts-Vyse quickly took Ramirez, who had been distracted by the arrival of the King of Diamonds, into his arms and held him close, stroking his hair. "He doesn't need to talk to _you_, he only needs _me_," he said sanctimoniously._

_"Bugger off, you fag," Diamonds-Vyse sneered, and Ramirez couldn't tell which was more wrong, the fact that one Vyse was essentially pawing at him, or the fact that another had the look of almost every Upper Valuan he'd ever met._

_"Hey, let go of him," said Clubs-Vyse all of a sudden, prying a staff in between Ramirez and Hearts-Vyse and wrenching them apart. "Keep that," he told the dreamer shortly, handing the staff to him, and took the other one in hand and faced the newcomer. "Listen, you!" he declared. "Now that you're here, there's nothing I can do about that, but that doesn't mean I have to put up with you!"_

_"So you'll attack an unarmed man? How _noble_ of you," Diamonds-Vyse smirked, still idly flipping his coins._

_Clubs-Vyse smirked back. "We all know you don't need weapons to fight dirtily enough to win."_

_"True enough," Diamonds-Vyse acknowledged. "Say, Ramirez, wouldn't you like to know the _truth_?"_

_This sudden statement gave pause to the Silvite, who had been quietly watching the unfolding scene. "What do you mean?" he queried cautiously. The truth e'er was a slippery thing, so went an old saying._

_"Ramirez, don't listen to him!" Clubs-Vyse shouted, but Diamonds-Vyse delightedly continued, "The truth, dear Ramirez, the _truth_! You don't think these buffoons have any clue what's _really_ going on in your head, do you? Not when they're no better than newcomers! Why, me and _this_ guy," he jabbed a thumb at the figure on the card on which he was leaning, "have been around for a good, solid seven years, and those other two chumps just waver in and out like mirages! You see," and the King of Diamonds leaned forward eagerly, "it's not about Vyse. It never was! You're a selfish being, Ramirez; everyone is! That's just the way people are. We just _look_ like Vyse because he's the one you're thinking about most these days. It's really all about _you_!"_

_"Shut up!!" Clubs-Vyse snapped, pointing his staff at Diamonds as a weapon. "You're the liar here. I won't let you—"_

_"Silence!!" Ramirez interrupted fiercely._

_"Quite right," Diamonds gloated, smirking at Clubs staring, stunned, at the white-haired Admiral. "So anyway, as I—"_

_"That goes for you, too," said the Silvite quietly, his green eyes narrowed._

_There was a long silence among all four people present before Ramirez advanced three steps and glared at the third delusion. "Whatever you say," he declared, "will be a lie. Your very nature proves this."_

_"I'm _your_ nature, bitch, so shut up and get used to it," Diamonds-Vyse replied with a tight-lipped smile. "Everyone's greedy. Everybody wants things for themselves. You're the same way. So what you want happens to be power instead of money. So Galcian's lust is reserved for control rather than material wealth. What makes either of you any better than the people you've killed?"_

_"SILENCE!!" Ramirez roared, moving into a battle position; he was slightly awkward with the staff, having had far less experience with it than a sword, but his stance was still capable. Hearts-Vyse moved to stop him, but Clubs intervened, pulling him away with a murmured, "Let him. That guy'll finally get what's coming to him."_

_Sneering at the dreamer, Diamonds ignored the threat and continued, "You _know_ deep down inside that you're just as dirty as the Arcadians you despise. What's wrong with getting dirtier, then?" Spreading out his arms, he exclaimed, "Take what you want, Ramirez! Be it gold, power, justice, destruction, or even Vyse himself! You have the strength to cut down anyone in your way. No one will be able to stop you, so just _do it_!!"_

_Ramirez leapt forward and jabbed at Diamonds, but he jumped aside agilely, inviting the Admiral to follow through with his attack. Follow he did, rapping the insolent copy on the side of the head. The blow wasn't aimed well enough to bring him down as well as a gunshot, as the Silvite had mentioned before, but it did induce a swear and a stagger. As Ramirez moved to finish him off, Diamonds changed gears and lurched forward purposefully._

_"No! Ramirez, LOOK OUT!!" Hearts and Clubs both screamed, but it was too late by then. When the Silvite had moved to attack again, Diamonds grabbed the staff and shoved his weight into forcing his attacker back. Although Ramirez held his ground well, his weapon of choice wasn't the staff, and overbalancing caused him to stumble backwards a step—and that was enough to make him brush against the final card._

_Clubs yelled, "NO! What have you done?! You know what he's like!! Why did you make Ramirez free him?!"_

_Diamonds' smile was nihilistic, and yet somehow self-satisfied. "Ramirez will understand," he replied. "I'll _make_ him understand the kind of scum he really is...even if I have to use _his_ power to do it."_

_"He'll destroy you too!" Hearts choked, his brown eyes filled with fear._

_"No he won't," Diamonds replied confidently. "Because we're partners."_

_Ramirez heaved the staff up, cracking in the gold-carrying imposter's face, breaking his nose and causing him to fall backwards and curse loudly and colorfully. "Enough of this!!" he snarled, very tired of being jerked around. "I don't—"_

_The Silvite then went very silent, because he had heard someone humming... a very familiar tune. It brought back memories of innocence, of childhood, of Fina's mother..._

_Ramirez, Hearts and Clubs all looked around quickly—Diamonds was too busy pulling himself up and tottering away from the Silvite to do so—and found the source almost immediately._

_It was, of course, the King of Spades, his cutlasses in hand and resting by his hips. He was leaning against Clubs' card and had his head bowed so that his bangs covered his eyes. He wore an odd little smile, and he was very serenely humming '_Hiru no Tsuki_'._

_When he felt all eyes on him, the King of Spades looked up at the others, his eerie smile widening into an anticipatory grin. "Itsuka~, shiru toki ga kuru no?" he sang in a light, airy voice. He took a step forward...and then burst into a run, beelining for Ramirez. With an alarmed cry, Hearts-Vyse ran forward to block the way, and he was rewarded with both cutlasses driven deep into his chest._

_"Mune no..." Spades-Vyse sang on, then kicked his boot against his victim's chest and pulled his blades loose, sending the fresh corpse hurtling to the floor. "Itami wo~!"_

_He grinned at Ramirez and Clubs-Vyse, both horror-struck, and laughed a delighted, hair-raising laugh. At his feet, Hearts-Vyse's now silent body slowly bled out, the crimson liquid creeping across the blackness._

_"You...how could you?!" Clubs-Vyse demanded, preparing to engage the King of Spades, though clearly frightened of him. "I w—"_

_Spades-Vyse jumped at him, slicing through his staff easily. While Clubs gasped in shock, Spades laughed again horribly and proceeded to assail his victim with a multitude of cuts—all small, all drawing only a little bit of blood each, each away from a vital spot, though some overlapped and send chunks of flesh flying—and combined, certain to bequeath the first doppelganger a slow and painful death._

_Ramirez stared with a fascinated horror, unable to move from where he stood. The presence of the King of Spades was overpowering, petrifying, like the imminent onslaught of a storm worthy of the Dark Rift, and it filled the Silvite with a certain nameless panic that sapped his strength, besieged his senses._

_The King of Diamonds watched as well, holding his bleeding nose. "Yuh wunt bead him," he said quietly but with arrogant confidence, made almost ludicrous by the effect of his clogged nose on his voice. "Yuh can't. Hull kill yuh jus' like he killed thuz two idiots."_

_The silver-haired swordsman didn't reply. He simply watched as Clubs finally fell, bleeding from countless wounds, breathing heavily and looking pleadingly over at Ramirez, perhaps to save him, perhaps to end his misery. He mouthed something, but the Silvite couldn't tell what he was trying to say; in either case, it was hard to pay attention to him when the more captivating King of Spades was walking leisurely over to the King of Hearts' forgotten chalices and plucked one from the floor. He dumped out half of its alcoholic contents, kicking the other one out into the darkness past the barrier of cards while he was at it, and stepped lightly to his dying victim. Humming tranquilly once more, Spades-Vyse grabbed Clubs-Vyse by the hair and lifted him up, then allowed him to bleed into the cup, filling it up again._

_When he was done, he dropped Clubs, who continued to stare pleadingly at Ramirez. This time, he mouthed just one word, and the Silvite caught it well enough:_

Why? 

_'Why didn't you help me?' 'Why did you abandon me?' 'I tried to protect you. Why did you let him do that to me?' 'Why did you choose to betray me?'_

_"I—I—" Ramirez said falteringly, staring anguished at the dying doppelganger but unable to say anything sufficient._

_Meanwhile, Diamonds smiled triumphantly at Spades; he had done an admirable job of fixing his broken nose, all considering. "Amazing job, as always," he stated with a hint of pride, as if he'd had a hand in it. "Shall we?"_

_Spades returned the smile. "'We'?" he repeated._

_Diamonds' smirk faltered. "...We've been powerful together, with me in the foreground and you in the background," he elucidated, a note of worry in his voice. "We control Ramirez, you and I. That's how it's always been. That's how it'll always be."_

_Spades' smile increased. "Oh?"_

_The two stared at each other and laughed quietly for a moment._

_Then Diamonds whipped around and bolted for the barrier formed by the cards. Still smiling, Spades-Vyse let him go, and Ramirez didn't need to wonder why for long; as soon as he'd taken three steps outside, Diamonds-Vyse's body was consumed by crackling rays of darkness, and with a resonant death-scream, he was devoured and disappeared._

_As much as he didn't want to, Ramirez let his gaze slide to the King of Spades, who held a cutlass in one hand and a cutlass and a wineglass in the other. His eyelids at half-mast, Spades-Vyse bared his teeth in a grin at him, and the Silvite mustered enough strength to edge away._

_"St...stay away," he whispered, unable to remove his eyes from the approaching delusion. "Stay away... Don't come near me..."_

_"I've always been near you," the final replica said in a sing-song voice. "Always, always, all ways lead back to me~"_

_"Don't come near me..." Ramirez almost pleaded. "Don't..."_

_Spades-Vyse ignored him, and when the gap between them had been filled, he wrapped his arms around Ramirez's waist, rested his head on the dreamer's shoulder, switched both cutlasses to the left hand and took the chalice with the right, and brought it up, fingering it not an inch before the Silvite Admiral's eyes._

_"Love, friendship, loyalty—who cares?" he whispered, his breath hot on Ramirez's neck. "Galcian or Vyse, what's it matter? Just destroy it all..."_

_He nipped at the Silvite's neck in a teasing kiss, and unlike Hearts-Vyse's attempt, Spades-Vyse's gesture sent waves of powerful emotion coursing through Ramirez's body. He gasped, throwing back his head—and Spades-Vyse poured all of the dark red liquid in the wine-cup into his opened mouth._

_Ramirez sputtered and choked, but hurling the goblet aside, Spades-Vyse grabbed his chin and mouth and forced them shut, then forced _him_ to the floor, nearly slamming him down, then kneeling over him. The Silvite, stripped of his power, flailed as best he could to fend off the insane parody of Vyse, but Spades giggled with unholy glee and, brandishing his bloodstained cutlasses, slowly caressed a line of the liquid from the blades with his tongue as he watched Ramirez lazily, his eyelids half-shut...then grabbed both swords and drove them into the Silvite's body with the speed and accuracy of a cobra, one blade pinning Ramirez to the floor by his left wrist, cutting into the Silver Crystal in that hand so closely that he could swear he felt it crack, the other simply driving into his arm just above the elbow. The pain burned worse than if he had been stabbed with pokers fresh from the fireplace, and Ramirez tried to scream, but the bitter-coppery taste of bloody loqua filled his throat, and he merely gurgled instead._

_He was trapped...his arms were agonizingly pinned, and the King of Spades' legs covered his own. This twisted image of Vyse could do whatever he wanted to him, Ramirez realized with mounting horror._

Whatever he wanted... 

_"So afraid," Spades-Vyse purred, straddling his now immobile victim. "So very, very helpless and afraid. I love you like this, Ramirez..." His smile and brown eyes widening in perverse pleasure, he crooned like a lover, "It's disgusting and shameful and dirty and beautiful and _I love it_. Wouldn't you like to stay like this with me..._forever_?"_

_His green eyes opened to their limit with terror, the Silvite only choked out an incomprehensible reply through the mix of blood and loqua._

_Spades-Vyse laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed and then he dipped his head down and ravenously sank his teeth into Ramirez's shoulder and tore the flesh away and _the Silvite Admiral awoke with a jolt, a scream fresh on his lips, his heart trying to batter its way out of his chest. Vyse—the _real_ Vyse—was up in an instant, looking very confused and disheveled, and when his eyes met with Ramirez's, he stumbled out of bed to see what was the matter. 

That turned out to be a bad decision, because the delirious Silvite, still in the throes of his nightmare, immediately leapt up and back, groping for a weapon of any kind and grabbing a chair, which he threw at the Air Pirate with surprising accuracy and strength, and screamed, "_Get AWAY FROM ME!!_" 

Luck was with Vyse at that moment, because even though he had just awoken, he managed to foresee Ramirez's attack quickly enough to be able to dodge it, though he could feel the air pass swiftly by as the impromptu projectile barely missed and clattered raucously when it crashed behind him. Alarmed by his friend's state, he righted himself and stepped backwards, holding his hands up with his palms open in a gesture of nonviolence, and quietly said, "Ramirez, you were dreaming. It was just a nightmare. You're fine now. I'm not your enemy." 

The silver-haired swordsman continued to stare at him wild-eyed, his chest heaving and sweat dripping from his brow, for several tense seconds before the reality of his current situation began to sink in. He slowly slid down to the floor with a soft groan, holding his left hand to his mouth in an attempt to quell his nausea. 

Vyse almost took a step forward, but decided he should confirm his friend's state of mind first. "Ramirez?" he ventured. "Are you okay now?" 

"I'm sorry," was the weak reply. "I just..." A giant shudder. "I'm sorry." 

Heartened by this, the Blue Rogue cautiously approached Ramirez and kneeled down next to him, though keeping a respectful distance. "What was your dream about?" 

The Silvite was silent for so long that Vyse eventually prodded worriedly, "Ramirez?" 

He simply shook his head, his left shoulder still aching where the so-called delusion had bitten him. His elbow and wrist still stung badly, too... "I don't want to talk about it..." the shaken Admiral managed to murmur. 

"Was it worse than the last nightmare you had?" Vyse inquired softly. "The one where you called for Hahaue?" 

Ramirez's shoulders stiffened in such a way that Vyse became immediately certain that had been the wrong thing to say. "Never mind," he added quickly, though he knew it was probably too late to keep from rubbing salt in old wounds. "Better that you forget it soon, like that other dream." 

The Silvite Admiral still well remembered his dream with Hahaue and Lord Galcian, and thinking of that along with his dream just now only aggravated his poor mood. He didn't fault Vyse for bringing it up, though; the fool was just concerned about him. Somehow, right now, that meant a lot to him. 

"You're right," he murmured, lifting his head, still covering his eyes with one hand. "Best to forget about it right away..." He glanced at Vyse tiredly. "Will you do that for me?" 

Vyse started, surprised. "Huh? What do you want me to do?" 

"Just talk," Ramirez said with a sigh. "Talk about anything. I don't care, just as long as it's not about dreams." 

"Well, 'talk about _anything_'... That's pretty vague, you know!" Vyse protested. "Can't you give me a topic? Just say the first thing that comes to mind, and I'll talk about that!" 

The conflicting experiences in his dream with Hearts and Spades still fresh in his mind, Ramirez blurted, "What's love?" 

The brunet Air Pirate stared at his friend, vaguely grateful that the darkness would hide the warmth building in his face. "Love...?" he repeated, glancing away quickly and scratching his scar. "Uh, let's see...love... That's pretty broad, but I'll give it a shot..." Leaning an arm on one raised knee and looking fixedly at the ceiling, Vyse began, "Love is...well, it's a lot of things. There's love you have for your family, for your friends, for your comrades...and of course, for your boyfriend or girlfriend, depending." The Blue Rogue glanced furtively at Ramirez, but the Silvite was still hunched over, his expression morose. "And...uh..." 

"Have you ever been in love?" Ramirez inquired softly, and the train of Vyse's thought promptly performed a few pirouettes and crashed magnificently. 

"Huh?" the pirate uttered, staring blankly in incredulity of what he'd just heard. 

"Have you ever been in love," the silver-haired young man repeated in a slightly louder voice. 

"Um," Vyse replied intelligently. "Uh...well..." He blushed and rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Well, you remember when Aika said I've never had a girlfriend... No, you probably wouldn't remember that," he corrected himself, remembering that that was the night when Ramirez passed out drunk. "But...yeah. Like I said." 

"That doesn't mean you couldn't have experienced unrequited love," the Silvite pointed out quietly, glancing at him, finally dropping his hand. 

"Well...yeah," Vyse acceded. "I guess...no, not really. I've had a few crushes, and I've been attracted to a few people, but I haven't really been in _love_." 

"People?" Ramirez repeated. "Not just women?" 

The Air Pirate blushed deep crimson at that, and he opened his mouth several time wordlessly, futilely, before he just shook his head and ducked it, groaning, "Aww, Ramirez, come _on_..." 

Somehow, that brought a small but sincere smile to the Silvite swordsman's lips. The loneliness in his heart was devastating, but there was just something about bantering like this with Vyse late at night... "I'm sorry," he murmured. 

With an aggravated sigh, Vyse glanced at Ramirez, then blinked when he saw the smile. Smiling himself, he noted, "Good to see you're feeling a little better." 

"Mm," Ramirez non-responded, the smile fading into sadness. This was likely the last time they would ever do anything like this... 

"...Why d'you ask, anyway?" Vyse asked, not missing the smile's disappearance. "About me being in love, I mean." 

Leaning his arms on his knees and his face against his arms, Ramirez didn't reply at first. When he did speak, though, he said, "I...have very little experience in love, myself...and the experiences I _have_ had weren't...entirely pleasant ones." 

"...Ramirez..." the brunet murmured, gazing worriedly at his friend. He reached out a hand hesitantly, then cautiously rested it on the Silvite's shoulder. 

The young Admiral glanced, surprised, at Vyse, but aside from tensing slightly, he didn't shy away. He just smiled melancholically. "It just seems to bring me pain," Ramirez said softly. 

"It won't always be that way," Vyse reassured him, driving that pain deeper. "I can guarantee you that." 

Ramirez simply shook his head slowly and took the hand on his shoulder into his own. "Vyse, you are kind," he quietly said, his smile still despondent. "That kindness will be your downfall." 

"You're wrong," the Air Pirate replied confidently, turning his body to Ramirez and placing his other hand over Ramirez's. "It'll be my salvation." 

Their eyes met in the darkness, and the two friendly enemies simply gazed at each other silently, unmoving. Vyse's hands, wrapped around his own, were warm, and the Silvite was surprised to realize he was content to let them stay there, considering he overall disliked being touched. It occurred to Ramirez that if he were to admit his feelings once and for all, now was likely his last chance. The ambience—silent but for the indistinct, somnolent hum of the Delphinus' engine and the muffled sound of the wind outside—was perfect, the mood was perfect, the moment was perfect, it was late at night and just the two of them, and if he leaned over to Vyse, he could simply let a kiss say the words for him, perhaps in a manner far more eloquent than he could manage under the circumstances... 

He felt slightly lightheaded as his heart thudded, and he hoped Vyse couldn't hear it. Even if Vyse hated him, by this time tomorrow, it would no longer matter. What did he have to lose? 

...Everything. He could lose _everything_. If Vyse didn't push him away—if he indeed pulled him closer!—Ramirez didn't know if he could betray him. If he couldn't betray Vyse, it would mean he would betray Lord Galcian without fail, whether that was what he wanted or not. He could not serve the soon-to-be ruler of the world faithfully _and_ be in a relationship with the handsome Blue Rogue, after all. 

/_Is this the so-called power of love...?_/ the Silvite wondered in a daze. /_To bring me this close to the brink of breaking the oaths I swore to Lord Galcian? Is my heart truly this malleable...?_/ 

Vyse still hadn't moved—was still watching him. Ramirez regarded him in return, a dull blush suffused on his cheeks. It _would_ be easier to say nothing, to say it was late and they needed sleep, to let the conversation come to a close and face the rest of his tomorrows wondering what would have happened; if enough tomorrows passed, perhaps he would be able to forget even this wavering of his heart. This moment, and all the moments like these he'd spent with the charming rogue, would fade away in the light of reality, and in Lord Galcian's company, he would know how weak he had been to ever hesitate to begin with, and smile scornfully at his former foolish self. 

That would be in the piercing rays of someday. 

This was still the soothing dark of tonight. 

"Vyse..." Ramirez began, glancing down at his captured hand. "I..." 

The Blue Rogue uttered a small surprised noise, then laughed nervously and pulled away. "Sorry; that must've made you feel uncomfortable," he grinned apologetically, rubbing the back of his own neck. "I should know better now than to overstep my boundaries around you." 

The Silvite gazed silently and steadily at his freed hand, his expression empty. "It's..." he began, slowly closing his fingers over his palm, "...all right." 

Vyse stood, marking that the moment had officially passed. Ramirez's chance had gone. "We'll be getting up early to head back to Crescent Isle," he reminded his friend gently, offering a hand to help him up. "I know you probably don't want to, but maybe you should try getting some more sleep...?" 

Ramirez glanced up and stood on his own, ignoring the outstretched hand. "Worry more about yourself than me," he replied. "I'm going to take a shower, anyway. Wash this sweat away..." 

"All right," Vyse nodded. "Good night, Ramirez." 

"Good night," the Silvite replied, then turned away to gather the necessary shower-things. 

Vyse sat down on his bed and watched him for a moment, but the lateness of the hour soon smacked him on the back of the head, and by the time Ramirez was out the door, he was lying down with the covers over him. Sleep was delayed for a short moment as he somnolently glanced at his right hand, which he'd placed on his friend's shoulder, and was subsequently grasped... 

He blushed lightly as he curled his fingers into a tightly squeezed fist with a small sigh. 

"What am I thinking," he murmured, shutting his eyes and drifting into sleep. "He's my friend, just my friend..." 

Ramirez, meanwhile, did not take long to get to the men's bathroom and prepare for his shower. Stepping into the rain of warm water alone did marvels for easing his stress, and bowing his head, the Silvite youth shut the shower door behind him and let the water fall over his shoulders and body. 

The calm that filled him as he cleansed himself didn't last long, however, and though the warm water washed away his sweat, it couldn't wash away his most memories...neither the most recent ones, nor the ones he had long since tried to bury. He was reminded of this as he was soaping himself and his eyes fell to a long, thin scar on his stomach, nearly two inches long and curving in towards his navel. Ramirez's jade-green eyes narrowed as he recalled how he had received that particular scar: the circumstances surrounding it, the event itself, and the aftermath... 

It had not been a pleasant experience in the least. 

The Silvite ran his fingers over it lightly, feeling the raised, pale flesh. It had been not long after he had joined Lord Galcian. Having only been in the Armada for a short time, Ramirez had been assigned to a unit; Lord Galcian, too, had told him to do so, saying that his time in that unit would likely be highly enlightening. Ramirez had told as he'd been told without complaint. By then, also, the emotional wounds from Admiral Mendosa's lies had scabbed, and he was wondering if perhaps his judgment of humanity had been too hasty. There was an entire world of Arcadians out there, after all, and Admiral Mendosa had been one man. When he conveyed these sentiments to Lord Galcian, the powerful swordsman had simply smiled, shook his head, and told him he would see soon enough. 

That should have been ample warning; then again, back then, Ramirez had only just made the Admiral's acquaintance, and didn't know to trust his judgment and keep on his guard not for monsters, but for his own would-be comrades. 

The young Silvite man smiled bitterly, returning to his shower even as he remembered. He had, since his youth, been talented at the sword; he'd known that for a long, long time. What he _hadn't_ known is how other Valuan soldiers had seen his skill as a threat to their receiving promotions, in moving up the ranks of the Armada. 

There had been another soldier in his unit named Brand. Ramirez had liked him somehow—he reflected now that he understood those feelings a bit better that he'd been attracted to him. They were both amazing at the sword; the difference was that the other soldier had been a few years older. Ramirez had, after a while, started to rely on him... 

Clearly, it had been a mistake...one that had nearly cost him his life. He couldn't say he'd been backstabbed, Ramirez thought with dark humor, seeing as Brand had driven a knife into his front. It had been easy for him, too, considering nearly half the unit had been helping him by holding Ramirez still. 

They had left him to die one of the craggy mountains near Valua; the Silvite supposed it was only because they hadn't had the foresight to finish the job, that Brand had only stabbed him however viciously that once, that he'd managed to survive climbing down and finding a doctor. It had been a lesson he had learned well. 

He made sure the other soldiers of Valua wouldn't forget it, either. There was many reasons why his was the most feared name among the lower ranks, given due respect regardless of the speaker's personal feelings. The first few reasons were the corpses he had made out of Brand and the others who'd tried to kill him. 

Ramirez had been sent to Lord Galcian, who claimed to take responsibility for him, for recrimination for his violent actions back then. Lord Galcian and he had regarded each other for several long moments before he had begrudgingly bowed to him and apologized. 

The Admiral had had but one question: "Did you learn anything, Ramirez?" 

He had paused, eyebrows furrowed, before quietly and understandingly replying, "Yes, sir." 

/_There is no one you can trust,_/ Ramirez thought broodingly, recalling that lesson all too vividly. /_If you give someone too much trust, they will use it against you._/ 

Lord Galcian was the one exception to this rule, of course. 

Smirking mirthlessly, the Silvite brushed his soaked bangs out of his face. Vyse would soon learn that lesson, too... He would know true suffering. There was no room for mercy in Ramirez's world; he had sworn to lay down his sword and his life for Lord Galcian, and it was undoubtedly the Grand Admiral's will that the Air Pirates be liquidated once and for all. 

Pity, hesitation, affection, doubt... It had been by straying from Lord Galcian's teachings into these things that he had been hurt. 

He would not be hurt again. 

So Ramirez told himself, locking away the love that thought of Vyse in his heart. There could be no such weakness. They were enemies. Ramirez would hate who he was supposed to hate, fight who he was supposed to fight...kill who he was supposed to kill. He needed only obediently follow Lord Galcian, and all things would become clear. 

The silvery knobs squeaked slightly as Ramirez turned off the hot water and on the cold water, tensing as the frigid liquid began to assail him. 

His heart, which had begun to thaw...he would freeze it again. 

He had no other choice.  
  
  
  
The next morning, they set sail. As they'd thought, no Valuans had discovered their ship—although several scout ships _had_ found the wreckage of the seal over the night and reported it dutifully to Galcian. Other scout ships, which had been tracking the Delphinus' movements prior to this and found the coordinates of Crescent Island, also reported to the commander-in-chief of the Valuan Armada, who immediately began to mobilize the Serpens and the Monoceros, having had them prepared days before. Vyse and company knew nothing of these movements, however, and thus for the moment it wasn't their concern. They were just happy to be out in the blue sky again, away from the depressing storm clouds of Valua. 

It was Aika who made the suggestion that made Ramirez sweat. "Say, Fina's looking pretty depressed, so before we head back to Crescent Isle, why don't we do a little shopping so she has some mementos to bring back?" 

"Mementos?" Vyse grinned from the wheel, glancing at her as he sailed. "Don't you mean souvenirs?" 

Aika rolled her eyes playfully. "Whatever!" she smiled before turning to the young Silvite lady. "What do you think, Fina? We can head to Maramba, spend a few hours relaxing and picking out nice things for you to take back home, then sail onto Crescent Isle and back to business as usual!" 

Fina had perked up considerably upon hearing the suggestion. "That _does_ sound awfully nice," she said thoughtfully. 

"Maramba is a bit far, though," Enrique pointed out. "If we went to say, Nasrad, then that would take less time traveling, and means we could spend a longer amount of time there. In addition, if we spend our money there, it will help their economy a little, and Moons knows they could use it." 

They all knew. A few telltale glances at the Silvite Admiral conveyed that nobody had forgotten who had burned down the city and crashed its economy in the first place. 

"You have a point, Enrique—and Nasrad _could_ use more business to help with rebuilding," Aika frowned. "But that's the same reason I say we go to Maramba instead. They'll be busy rebuilding at Nasrad; they aren't going to have anything for sale. I'm sure even if the bazaar wasn't wrecked, it's been closed down." 

"I agree," came help from an unexpected corner. Ramirez faced his current crewmates and continued, "The citizens of Nasrad will barely have enough provisions to keep for themselves, let alone any to sell to us." Glancing at Aika, who was staring at him dumbfounded, which was understandable considering she would never have expected him to agree with her, he added, "However, there's no need to go 'shopping'. Fina isn't leaving as soon as we return to Crescent Isle. We can put this off until another time." 

Aika frowned at him and crossed her arms, but said nothing. 

"I don't mind if we go to Nasrad," Fina piped up. "Even if we don't get anything, I'd like to go there and see how the city is coming along. We might even find people who'll join the Delphinus' crew there." 

The redheaded pirate girl perked up at that. "That's true," she said brightly. "No lack of people who hate Valua there! No offence, Enrique." 

"None taken," the blond Prince said graciously as Ramirez went, "..." 

"Voting on Nasrad, huh?" the captain of the Delphinus grinned with a wink. "It's fine with me. What do you say, Ramirez?" 

"Do as you please," the Admiral replied, his tone and expression neutral. "I'll just stay on board while you all..._shop_, if you don't mind, though." 

Vyse laughed a touch nervously, but he set sail for Nasrad regardless. The trip there was indeed a short one, and the Blue Rogues spent several hours in the wreckage of the city, well into the afternoon—what they found so fascinating, Ramirez had no idea. He did notice that they _did_ return with, if nothing else, new crew members: a fat, over-painted merchant, and a trio of burly gunners. They took sail again, chatting gaily amongst themselves, as they headed back to Crescent Isle, and when they landed, Vyse and company headed up to the meeting room up the side of the mountain. The five found waiting for them there an old friend of theirs with his boots resting on the table. 

The handsome red-coated Air Pirate turned his head to them with his usual quirk of a smile. "Hey, long time no see!" he called. "Wow… you've got yourself a nice little base set up here!" 

"Gilder!" Vyse grinned, surprised but glad to see the older Blue Rogue. 

"I heard that you sailed around the world!" the blond ladies' man went on, now addressing the brunet rogue directly. "As always, kid, it sounds like you've been trying to get yourself into more trouble." His glance at Ramirez wasn't pointed, but for anyone paying attention—that included the Silvite in question—it was also not discreet. Gilder looked back to Vyse and continued, "I came here to hear all about your travels...that, and for a good meal." 

With a wink, the captain of the Delphinus placed his fists on his hips. "Haha... Good old Gilder..." he smiled. "Pleasure before business..." 

Crescent Isle obliged the captain of the Claudia a dinner, and the only one not making a racket of any kind was Ramirez, who was simply noiselessly awaiting the forthcoming end. After everyone's bellies were satisfactorily filled, they returned to the meeting room, each of them continuing their story until everyone had been seated, Vyse at the head of the table with his feet up, Gilder similarly seated, Aika with her elbows on the table and chin propped on her folded hands, Fina sitting back with her hands in her lap, and Enrique and Ramirez sitting straight with their arms on their chairs' armrests. 

"...so you went to Yafutoma and then on to the Lands of Ice, huh?" the handsome older rogue recapped, eyes on Vyse. "Just listening to your stories makes my adrenaline flow. And so in the end, you collected the five Moon Crystals..." As if to punctuate his remark, aforementioned multi-colored Crystals shimmered prettily from the tabletop. "Nice work." 

"Yup, we got 'em all!" Aika smiled. 

Looking to the orange-haired piratess, Gilder surmised, "And since all of them are together, I suppose that means Fina will be taking them with her when she heads home soon..." 

/_That's what _you_ think,_/ Ramirez thought deadpan, showing no reaction as Fina bowed her head and murmured, "...Yes." 

"Actually..." the dusty-blond man added, leaning forward slightly. "There was something that was bothering me from earlier." Turning his shades-obscured eyes to the Silvite girl, he inquired, "Fina, where exactly did you come from?I mean, where are you going home _to_?" 

She was silent for several seconds before she stood and walked to the window, her hands clasped to her chest, and gazed out into the starry sky. 

"Fina?" Aika spoke up. 

She turned and smiled at her friend, then caught Ramirez's eye and silently beseeched that he help her out. Half-heartedly considering that the knowledge would shortly be of no use to any of them, he obliged, turning to the others and stating dully, "Fina and I are, as most of you already know, from the same place. We were both born and raised in a placed called, among Silvites, the Great Silver Shrine...a shrine in orbit around the Silver Moon, far higher than any Arcadian ship could ever reach." 

Vyse stared in surprise. The pale swordsman had told him that their birthplace was someplace high up, but he hadn't expected that high up! 

Fina smiled gratefully at Ramirez and took up the explanation, now gazing back out at the night sky, and said, "Long ago, when the Rains of Destruction fell upon the lands, and most of the world's population was killed...all seemed lost... The most powerful Silvite mages met at the Shrine. They combined their energy to send it into the Sky...above the destruction..." With a wistful sigh, the pale-blonde young lady resumed, "They escaped the horrible fate that fell upon the rest of the world, by rising above the destruction. Ever since then...from far above...we have sworn to protect the people of this world from the same fate that our ancestors suffered. That is the primary mission of the remaining Silvites." With a nod to her childhood friend, she finished, "As Ramirez said, the Great Silver Shrine is located high above the clouds. Our mission is to take the Moon Crystals back to the Great Silver Shrine, so that no one will ever be able to abuse their powers again." 

Ramirez knew that the girl with whom he'd grown up had no clue as to their people's _true_ past and motives, but he marveled anew regardless at the ignorance Fina flaunted. He didn't bother to correct her; he didn't have the heart. 

"But," Enrique began, "how are you two going to get home?" 

"If I can get back the ship that I came in, then Ramirez and I should be able to make it home," she explained. "But, when I was attacked by Valua, my ship sank beneath the clouds..." 

"Yes, I remember..." Vyse said with a nod. "You're talking about that ship you were flying when Alfonso attacked you." 

"Hmm..." the Prince of Valua murmured contemplatively. "It appears that we must find another way of getting Fina home." 

Her brown eyes reflecting sad misgiving, Aika spoke up, "But...if we find a way to get Fina back home...does that mean we'll have to say good-bye? We'll never get to see her again..." 

The white-clad Silvite averted her gaze to the side and murmured, "Lately, I sometimes find myself thinking...I started thinking, if I am unable to find a way home...that I'll be able to stay here, with everyone." She smiled a little, but the gesture was forced. "Haha..." she laughed weakly. "I'm sorry... That's so silly of me.My orders were to gather the Moon Crystals and to return to the Great Silver Shrine with them… And besides," she added, her mint green eyes alighting hopefully on the silver-haired young man, "at least Ramirez will be with me at last, won't you, Ramirez?" 

The Silvite Admiral smiled back unpleasantly as Vyse frowned slightly in worry. Vyse knew his answer already, he knew. He _could_ give her a sweet lie to perpetuate her mistaken hopes, but he no longer had a need for pretenses. Though he had ample regrets, he had none to spare for Fina. Ramirez opened his mouth to make a hope-crushing retort; however, the sound of a cannon firing and the force of a shell impacting the isle cut him off neatly. 

"What the hell—?!" Vyse yelled, nearly falling off his chair as he brought his feet down from the table to the floor. 

It was time, Ramirez knew, not needing to as much as glance out the window. He wondered fleetingly why the blonde girl hadn't noticed them, but the answer was fairly obvious; when an island is half mountain, of course you're going to use that blind spot in your favor for a surprise attack. He remained seated as the others rushed to out the meeting room door to see what had attacked the island. Their reaction, thankfully for him, was to take the platform down, and he took the opportunity to leisurely gather the five Crystals. Carrying them was not difficult; they were inclined to hover over his left hand, where a piece of the sixth Crystal was hidden, and that made his job depressingly much easier. 

He hated himself for this. But it was the path he had chosen—the path he'd chosen a long time ago. He had sworn to dedicate, for as long as he lived, his sword to Lord Galcian... The petty promise of friendship was not enough to make him forsake that. 

His chest in pain, his heart gripped by a frozen hand, his expression like the onset of a thunderstorm, Ramirez followed the others, the Moon Crystals in one hand, his substitute blade in the other. 

The timing could not have been better; as he rode the platform down, Lord Galcian's ship, the Serpens, was sailing directly overhead, and when Ramirez glanced up, his eyes met with the man to whom he had dedicated himself. Their smiles were both mockeries of the gesture, but both knew it did not matter. 

When Ramirez reached the bottom, Galcian tossed Ilazki overboard, and the white-haired Admiral threw up his arm, sending the five Crystals hurtling into the air as beams of multicolored light, which stopped at where the Grand Admiral was; in return, the sheath of Ramirez's sword fell neatly into his hand, and he slowly brought it to his side as he lowered his gaze to Vyse and company, who beheld him with eyes varying from disbelief to shock to accusation to hurt. He returned their stares with a cold smile as he walked forward, ignoring the crack of cannonshots and the Valuan soldiers dropping onto the island to prepare for assault, only gazing directly at the one who had foolishly decided to trust him. Vyse looked back at him as if he were having a nightmare, as if he were trying desperately to wake up, to realize that none of this was real. 

Ramirez knew, however, that unlike his own recent night horror, there would be no moment of awakening for Vyse—except, of course, for when he awakened to the magnitude of his folly. 

Aika was the first one to step forward, her enormous boomerang readied for imminent battle with both the invading Valuans and her former crewmate. "Ramirez, what have you done?!" she demanded. 

His mirthless smile increased. "You must be very pleased with yourself," he responded, "to know that you were right about me all along." He drew his silvery sword in one smooth motion and held it ready, the light of the Red Moon reflecting off of it a premonition of the blood it would taste. Desperately ignoring the look of wounded dismay on Vyse's face, he darkly declared, "In short, I've betrayed you."  


* * *

  
**NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal Arcadia_ [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong. 

_"Basically, the four of us are images, I guess, in your mind, reflecting different aspects of Vyse."_   
**Ayu:** "I am the Vyse that exists in your mind!" "And I am the Ramirez that exists in yours!" :D Okay, okay, I'm sorry, I'll shut up now... ^^ 

_Itsuka shiru toki ga kuru no? Mune no itami wo_   
**Ayu:** This line that Spades-Vyse sings means, "Will the time when you know someday come? About the pain of my chest". I'd say between that, the entire dream itself, and the cliffhanger, not to mention Ramirez betraying Vyse after all, you're all pretty much screaming that I'm the most evil person alive. ^^ ("I", since Ianthe-chan again didn't have a hand in writing or editing this chapter.) 

**Ayu:** For those arguing that one cannot feel things from a dream prior to awakening, I-chan and my best guy friend, Bluejay, has serial dreams wherein the pain from the wounds he sustained during those dreams remains with him for as long as the rest of the day. If Bluejay's dreams can be that vivid, so can Ramirez's. 

**Ayu:** Last chapter took the prize as longest chapter, at 22-some pages in MS Word, 12-pt. Times New Roman font, single-spaced; this one beats it out with a good _34_ _full pages_ under the same conditions. (This is also a personal first, by the way. I suppose I should have cut it into two separate chapters, but I felt it would have interrupted the flow if I did so.) Seems these chapters are getting continuously longer and longer... As I said before, I wrote and edited this chapter myself (in only two weeks—yay, me!); Ianthe-chan should have a greater hand in things from now on, though. (So to speak.) Thanks to Kinzoku (our official fangirl!) for transcribing the events around this area for me for reference. 

**Ayu:** The lyric-title this time is taken from _Itsumo Yume Dake ha Mikata Dakara_ (meaning _Because Always Only a Dream is My Friend_, ironically enough),the third ending theme to _BURN-UP W_. Full lyrics can be found, as always, at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!_, the link to which you can (indirectly) find below. 

**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com   
**Contact Ianthe of d.I:** ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))   
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net))


	14. Chapter 14: Kotoba ni Suru Hodo Kuzurete...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  
**Chapter 14:** Kotoba ni Suru Hodo Kuzurete Yuku  
(_Enough to Put It Into Words, I am Crumbling_)

  
  
  
  
  
"It...it's not true," Vyse whispered, still frozen to the spot, staring with anguished eyes at the man he thought was his friend. "Ramirez..."  
  
Ramirez did not turn aside his silvery blade. "In respect of the time we spent together, I'll give you at least the chance to draw your weapons," he said curtly, eyes hard and unrelenting.  
  
Only Fina and Vyse didn't need prompting; Aika indeed had already had her weapon out, starting to form a defensive circle with Enrique against the jeering Valuan soldiers closing in on them. Gilder, having spotted trouble as soon as he saw it, was away from the group, helping the crew members who were still left out in the open get inside to the dock area and fighting off any soldiers that attempted to interfere, but Enrique, Aika, Fina and Vyse were all trapped by their former ally.  
  
"Ramirez, _stop_!" Fina cried, stepping forward quickly to join Vyse and clasping her hands over her chest. "Why are you doing this?!"  
  
"Fina, don't even bother talking to him!" Aika yelled, the heat from the flaming buildings causing beads of sweat to form on her brow. "He's been the enemy all along!"  
  
"At least _one_ of you understands," the Silvite Admiral commented, expression unchanging. Yes, as the enemy, he could face them without any heartache... "Vyse!" he called. "I am not your friend. I have never been your friend. I told you that again and again, but you never did listen." His smile was cold and empty. "After a while, it simply became easier to pretend to let you have your way. It even worked to my advantage; no matter how suspiciously I acted, you either let it slide or forced yourself not to notice. If you _had_ been paying attention, you wouldn't be as shocked as you are now, _would_ you?"  
  
"It's not true..." the Blue Rogue repeated in a whisper, motionless.  
  
Enrique stepped forward, his rapier at guard position against the soldiers, still waiting for the order to attack. "You obviously had this planned for a while, Ramirez," he said with a quiet frown. "Since Yafutoma, perhaps? When Belleza and Vigoro arrived to 'convince' King Mikado to join Valua."  
  
"Very astute," the Admiral remarked coolly. "Yes, while we were there, I managed to contact Belleza and form this plan with Lord Galcian through her."  
  
Reflecting on it, he was surprised no one had caught on to this, least of all Vyse. In his weakness, he had been dropping hints left and right of his imminent betrayal, yet he heeded them... Well, as he told Vyse just now, one only hears the things one wants to hear when someone one likes is involved.  
  
"So...so everything you've been doing since then..." Fina whispered, her green eyes filling with tears, "was it just to fool us? Did you mean any of the kind things you said? Ramirez..."  
  
The Admiral would have loved to have told her the truth about everything, about the Elders, about their mission, about the Crystals and the Rains of Destruction, and about her so-called _love_ for him. He did not gloat often, but it was always _so_ satisfying when he did. However, he chose, this time, to be succinct.  
  
"Fina..." Ramirez said quietly, his emerald eyes boring into hers. "I have always hated you."  
  
She took a step backwards, looking for all the world as if he had just backhanded her out of the blue. "Ramirez..." the pale blonde young lady squeaked, on the verge of bursting into tears. "It's not—"  
  
"IT'S NOT TRUE!!" the brunet rogue interrupted with a scream, finally breaking out of his trance-like state of shock. Throwing his arms out and looking at the silver-haired young man pleadingly, Vyse beseeched, "Ramirez, it's not true, right?! You weren't deceiving me all this time, right?!"  
  
Ramirez's laugh was hollow and scornful, and the Valuan soldiers around him snickered as well at the pirate's denial. "Vyse, take a good, long look around you," he commanded, "and ask me that again."  
  
"How..." he whispered, then took a step forward and demanded, tortured, "How could you? How could you lie to me like that?! I believed in you!!"  
  
_How...how could you lie to me like that?!_  
  
The Silvite's eyes widened slightly as the familiarity of those words struck home. This was...this was just like that time...  
  
/_No! It's not!!_/ he scolded himself, shaking his head once. /_This is different from when Admiral Mendosa betrayed me. _He_ was wrong, forcing the Ixa'takans to longer hours simply to make a personal profit; I'm doing this for Lord Galcian, for the good of this world. I'm not the same as that man!!_/  
  
He closed a mental door on the nagging doubt that perhaps, in spite of his loyalties and vows, this _wasn't_ the right thing to do, that he was doing the wrong thing not just by betraying Vyse but by returning to one who demanded that he destroy someone who was not a bad or—naïveté aside—weak person. Turning back was not an option; it never had been.  
  
"Enough of this," he growled, glaring at the brunet pirate. Pointing his blade outwards to aim directly at Vyse, Ramirez commanded, "Attack!"  
  
Everyone reacted at once—the Valuan soldiers stormed in to obey the order, Enrique and Aika moved to engage them, Fina quickly followed suit in spite of her emotional distress, and Vyse swiftly drew his cutlasses to block Ramirez's charge. It really was like a nightmare—he hadn't seen that hateful mask of an expression on the silver-haired swordsman's face in a long time.  
  
"Why did you betray me?!" Vyse wanted to shout as he barely blocked another vicious attack, but he merely gritted his teeth and slashed at the Silvite. He didn't want to hurt Ramirez, but he was no fool—the Silvite was definitely aiming to kill him. Hadn't he said so yesterday? '_My instinct is to kill, Vyse, and when I draw my sword, that intent is never far from my mind._' Yeah, that blade was definitely naked, and Ramirez sure as hell didn't look like he was playing around.  
  
The sixth Admiral of the Armada dodged the thrust, hitting the cutlass with Ilazki and sending it wide, then lunging forward. The tip of his blade met the flat of Vyse's other cutlass, and metal sang on metal as Ramirez forced his opponent back.  
  
Vyse, who managed to avoid getting stabbed through the chest, fell back and sliced the air as he brought his cutlasses into a guard position before him, intending to counterattack when Ramirez next struck. Instead of egging him on, though, as he normally did when he used that technique, the captain of the Delphinus yelled, less a question than a confirmation of something they both already knew, "You're really trying to kill me!!"  
  
Ramirez didn't answer, instead choosing to narrow his eyes in brief contemplation of his next move. As he stood there, Vyse continued, "Were you really manipulating me all this time?! Did you really take advantage of me?!"  
  
Silence was the Silvite's only reply, lowering Ilazki slightly to glare at the pirate.  
  
"Were you laughing at me all along?!" the brown-haired Blue Rogue yelled, perspiration beading on his face, hoping in spite of recent experience that Ramirez would say that he _did_ care about him, that he would not have done this if it weren't for Galcian, for whatever, as long as he said _something_ to let him know he hadn't been completely mistaken! "Thinking, 'Vyse, it's a good thing you're such a trusting idiot, or else my job would be a lot harder'?!"  
  
"You're quite perceptive all of a sudden," Ramirez remarked in a neutral tone, and Vyse's heart shattered. The Admiral then leaned back slightly, his sword hanging back behind him a little with its point to the ground, and waves of magic began to swell around him. Half-clutching his left hand at his side, he raised that hand to his right shoulder, his elbow even with his left shoulder, as he chanted, "Moons, give me strength." Ramirez then thrust his palm forward and straightened his posture, shouting, "Drilnos!!"  
  
The golden light of the Yellow Moon surged through the battlefield, and the Air Pirate didn't have to turn around to see that his friends had been affected just as he had been by the spell, which weakened his defensive stance.  
  
The young Admiral quickly advanced and thrust, and Vyse, whose concentration for his counterattack had been broken by the spell, only barely managed to force the attack aside enough to make it only score a slash across the side of his ribs rather than through them. As he stumbled back, desperately blocking Ramirez's expert swings and only managing to deflect the strikes that would have meant certain death, he was reminded of their match yesterday. The Silvite's fighting style now was both like and unlike how he had fought then, and were he not distracted, he might have been able to pinpoint exactly what the differences were. As it were, he was too busy with keeping out the death strikes, even as his strength trickled out bead by bead from the wounds multiplying across his body.  
  
The crack of falling wood diverted his attention for a split-second, one that cost him. With a snarl, Ramirez charged and slashed, sending the rogue flying back and crashing in the dirt with a cry of pain.  
  
Knowing his life depended on it, Vyse flipped back up onto his feet to move into a guard position, but he didn't know how much more he could take without a Sacres crystal or spell; right now, he was sweating, bleeding and breathing heavily. If he tried to heal himself, Ramirez would use the opportunity while he wasn't defending himself to take him out. He didn't know how Enrique and the others were doing, but he had to assume that they were busy fighting those soldiers and couldn't spare the time to heal him.  
  
/_Shit,_/ Vyse swore mentally. Ramirez's next attack might be his last one, especially if he used a special move...  
  
/_Wait. A special move?_/ He narrowed his brown eyes slightly. /_Right! If I can get a good Pirate's Wrath in, then maybe I might have a chance..._/ That was, of course, assuming that Ramirez didn't finish him off first, but he had to be optimistic. The brunet rogue defended himself as best he could as the Silvite approached unhurriedly, gritting his teeth as he glared up at the image of Death with wavering eyes, praying to the Moons that something, somehow, distracted or delayed his next attack.  
  
And somehow, his prayers were answered. Ramirez lifted his silvery blade, but hesitated as he looked upon the rogue, a troubled emotion Vyse couldn't identify clouding his face. It broke with shock, and the Silvite took a step backwards, as if he had just seen something frightening. The Air Pirate furrowed his brows in confusion, but he wasn't one to pass up an opportunity, and he prepared his S-move.  
  
Before he could attack, though, three things happened at once. Not too far to his right, he heard Aika and Fina yell out spells at the same time—and then felt the effects of the healing Sacrum and power-boosting Incremus course through his body. Almost immediately afterwards, a Valuan soldier also chanted the incantation for an Incremus, and Ramirez, too, glowed red as his power increased. He glanced at the girls with a grin of thanks, seeing the green and red lights surround them and Enrique as well as they moved back into position to defend themselves against the soldiers—who numbered fewer than he last remembered, he saw.  
  
Turning with a grim frown at his former friend, Vyse raised his right cutlass with a fierce battle cry, lightning bolts gathering at the tip. Ramirez began to cast another spell, but the spiral of wind that coursed out from Vyse interrupted his concentration, and with a snarl of, "_Pirate's Wrath!!_" the Air Pirate released his sword chi at the Admiral. It hit him full in front, knocking him back but not down, hurting him badly but not so much that he was out of the fight—far from it. Ramirez paused only to briefly touch a bleeding head wound before narrowing his eyes at Vyse and advancing forward.  
  
Seeing a chance to seize the offensive advantage, Vyse charged with a battle yell, thrusting with both cutlasses. Ramirez blocked them both, but the ferocity of the pirate's attack surprised him, and even he with his skill had to place his left hand on Ilazki's handle to keep his ground.  
  
Now standing nearly face-to-face with the silver-haired swordsman, the Blue Rogue growled as he poured all his strength into pushing his blades forward and forcing the Silvite Admiral back, "So none of it really meant anything to you? Any of the time we spent together? You told me I was the closest friend you'd ever had! Was that just a lie to get me to put my guard down?!"  
  
"What you're essentially asking is why I chose to betray you," Ramirez stated flatly, green eyes as cold and flat as the silvery metal of his blade. "I'll tell you, then. In comparison to Lord Galcian, Vyse, you are..." he threw his weight into his attack and forced Vyse back with a sweep of his blade, "...insignificant!"  
  
So said the façade of ice. Pulsing beneath it was a hot palpitation screaming to be released, to stop this madness before Ramirez did something he would always regret, to give up, to accept his punishment...  
  
Ramirez knew, though, that no matter what he did, it was too late.  
  
Vyse stumbled back and moved into a guard position; behind him, Aika and Fina ran up to join him.  
  
"Vyse, we're here to back you up!" the orange-haired girl yelled, stepping up with her boomerang ready to fly. "We got rid of those other Valuan guys, no problem, so we thought you could use a hand!"  
  
"Thanks," the brunet rogue smiled, however grimly. "Where're the others?"  
  
"Enrique went to help Gilder get everyone else to safety," Fina told him, Cupil orbiting her head. She turned her gaze to Ramirez sorrowfully, but said nothing to him.  
  
The captain of the Delphinus faced the Silvite Admiral once again. "You're outnumbered," he stated, "and you're running out of soldiers to help you. Do you still want to fight us?"  
  
Ramirez merely narrowed his eyes without a word, holding his sword guardedly.  
  
"Ramirez, it's still not too late," Fina pleaded, stepping out into the open. "You can't possibly have meant what you said just now!"  
  
The Silvite swordsman's blood curdled with rage at her point-blank refusal to accept the truth. "What if I killed you, Fina?" he inquired, his tone glacial. "Would you believe I meant it then?"  
  
"I—" she began, but it was too late. With a short sigh, he had covered his eyes with his left hand.  
  
"Where there is light..." he began, sliding that hand down his murderous face, "...there is darkness."  
  
He stepped forward, and the trio tensed, but he hadn't taken three steps before his form shimmered and disappeared.  
  
"What the hell?!" Vyse shouted, twisting around to search for his vanished enemy. "Where did he go?!"  
  
Around them, though they could not see him anywhere, they heard Ramirez call out, "_Sword of the Dark Moon!_"  
  
Fina gave out a strangled gasp, covering her mouth in terror.  
  
"What?! What is it?!" Aika demanded, alarmed both by her reaction and the _shnk_ing noises slicing past them, though they still saw and felt nothing.  
  
"This technique—!" the young Silvite lady choked. "It's one of Ramirez's strongest attacks, known as the Silver Eclipse!!" Turning to her friends, she cried, "Aika, Vyse, be careful!!"  
  
Her warning was too little, too late, however, as Ramirez reappeared in a silvery shimmer and swung his sword one last time.  
  
Silver light like a sword slash surrounded the three and tore through their bodies, sending blood spraying from their gashing wounds. With screams of pain, Vyse, Aika and Fina collapsed, completely at the Admiral's mercy...of which, of course, he had none.  
  
Ramirez remained where he stood for a moment, gazing out at the night sky beyond the flames, letting heat waves run through his hair like the wind. "Vyse," he said quietly after a moment, as a pair of Valuan reinforcements climbed down from the Monoceros, hovering overhead, via rope ladder. "Last night, I had a nightmare." The Silvite glanced behind him at the brunet pirate, who was struggling to lift himself from the ground. "You were in it."  
  
"Glad to hear it," Vyse hissed through gritted teeth, managing by way of propping himself up with his cutlasses to get to his feet, however unsteadily.  
  
The Admiral ignored the comment as his men landed around the trio. There was no way they would be able to survive this, he knew... He would kill them all, just as he was meant to do. No matter how heartlessly he tried to treat the pirate, though, in facing the end, he felt he had to say something...  
  
"In that nightmare," Ramirez continued, "...you died. And you died, and then you died." He glanced back over his shoulder. "And then you overpowered me. However..." The Silvite then turned to face the Blue Rogue, and finished, "that was just a dream." He lifted Ilazki and tilted the blade to reflect the firelight and crimson moonlight, which mixed with the blood dripping from its razor edges to create a premonition realized. "_This_...is reality."  
  
With a snarl, Vyse leapt forward and attacked Ramirez out of desperation—he couldn't afford to lose here, now! He had to at least protect Fina and Aika! With those sentiments surging and strengthening his willpower, he struck the first time, slashed the second, was blocked the third and fourth. Leaping up, both cutlasses poised to tear into Ramirez's flesh, the captain of the Delphinus screamed, "CUTLASS FURY!!"  
  
Having had two out of four attacks score a hit, Ramirez was not about to allow the attack without a fight back. It was more out of reaction than any preconceived tactic, however, that he glanced up with gritted teeth at the bloodied rogue hurtling down to assail and raised Ilazki to greet him on his way.  
  
"VYSE, NOOOOO!!" Aika and Fina shrieked, the former, having forced herself to her feet, running two steps before she collapsed.  
  
The Blue Rogue sank onto the blade with a sickening tearing noise up until his torso met the hilt. The pain, both physical and emotional, was unspeakable, and the expression of horror he knew was on his face could only be matched by the one he saw through hazy vision on Ramirez's.  
  
Ramirez buckled slightly, having to take a step backwards to steady himself, as the Air Pirate nearly landed on him, neatly run through. He stared at the brunet, who miraculously landed on his feet, as he stumbled backward, letting the silver blade slide gently out from his guts. The hit, through sheer luck, had pierced low on Vyse's left side, which meant that it hadn't punctured any major organs, but panic suffused itself through Ramirez anyway. Having been run through with that amount of force, it was likely that Vyse would die anyway unless he found immediate medical attention.  
  
But—that was what he wanted! That was what Lord Galcian wanted—Vyse's death, so that the troublesome Air Pirate couldn't meddle in their plots any longer!  
  
Jade eyes wide and trembling, Ramirez realized, the reformed ice on his heart cracking into three pieces, that he deeply wanted Vyse to live.  
  
He stepped forward quickly, wrapping an arm around the Blue Rogue's shoulders and steadying him as he tilted dangerously. The young ship captain glanced up at the Silvite with eyes sliding in and out of focus, and choked out, "Ra...mi..."  
  
The last of his consciousness slipping away from him, Vyse collapsed and sagged against the one who had aimed for his life, his cutlasses slipping out of his grip.  
  
Ramirez's tormented affection for Vyse won over common sense and his better judgment for the moment; he knew he had to act quickly if he wanted to save the dying rogue. Striking lightning-quick on a reasonable excuse, the Silvite glanced sharply at the Valuan soldiers advancing on Aika and Fina to finish them off.  
  
"You two," he called with the force of a command, grabbing their attentions immediately. "Forget the girls. Take Vyse aboard the Monoceros and see that someone attends to his wounds properly. Be quick about it—he won't last for long in this condition, and be _careful_. He has enough holes in him already."  
  
"Sir?" one soldier queried, confused.  
  
"We are taking him alive, as my prisoner," Ramirez explained flatly, narrowing his eyes. "So do _not_ make me repeat myself."  
  
If the assassin soldiers had any other questions, they wisely held their tongues. They simply took the rogue's body and, prompted by a sharp glance from their superior, the dropped cutlasses, and began to drag them all up the still hanging ladders.  
  
The redheaded pirate girl stood again, her knees quavering, tears streaming down her bloodstained cheeks. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Ramirez?!" she sobbed, her brown eyes twisted with fury and fear. Behind her, with the looming threat of the soldiers gone, Fina began to chant a Sacrum spell.  
  
"Careful," Ramirez replied coldly. "I have no reason to take _you_ prisoner. Executing you here and now indeed would probably be the best course of action."  
  
"Then kill me!!" the boomerang-user snapped, her health beginning to return as the green magic surrounded her. "But don't you dare take Vyse away from us!!"  
  
"Unfortunately, I'm not asking your opinion in the matter," the Admiral stated callously. He glanced at Ilazki; there wasn't a cloth handy to wipe off the blood, so he slashed the air and let the crimson liquid fly off before returning the blade to its silver-colored sheath. "Your lives are not worth the time it would take to extinguish them."  
  
Aika gritted her teeth, joined by Fina, who stood by her side. "You...you _bastard_," she hissed, her fists clenched as tightly as rock oysters.  
  
Unfazed by the redhead's insult, Ramirez instead focused his attention on the sound of cannon-fire issuing not from the Serpens or the Monoceros, but from the Delphinus. Enrique and Gilder must have boarded it and set sail to drive them off... His ship was hit, and Lord Galcian's warship moved to intercept it.  
  
Cursing silently to himself, he flexed his left hand. He didn't have the time to claim Fina's Silver Crystal, much less reveal to her the truth of which she was so nauseatingly uninformed. No matter; he still had his Silvite ship, and it would be far more satisfyingly ironic to murder one of the Elders for his Crystal shard, anyway.  
  
He smirked mirthlessly at his childhood friend. "Fina," he said quietly, yet powerfully. "I find the very continuation of your existence detestable. However, if I can make you suffer, I'm willing to let you live a little while longer." Grabbing hold of the remaining rope ladder and signaling for the Monoceros to take off, he called down as he rose into the air, "Wait for it, Fina! You'll wish I _had_ killed you just now!!"  
  
"Shrivel up and **die**, you BASTARD!!" Aika snarled as Fina collapsed to her knees in tears, hurling her projectile towards him. Though it moved swiftly, Ramirez still struck out with Ilazki, sheathed, and sent the boomerang careening back down to the island like a bird with its neck broken, to land impotently in the spring.  
  
Eyes glittering with malice, Ramirez shouted, "You should feel thankful that I'm in such a merciful mood tonight!!"  
  
Unable to do anything and knowing it, Aika released the air in her lungs in the loudest shriek of hatred she could manage, then fell to her knees, sobbing and pounding the scorched earth with her fist. "Vyse!!" she yelled through her tears, already worried sick about her best friend. Reaching for the Monoceros, as if she could somehow reach it in spite of everything, the redhead screamed in grief and rage, "VYYYYYYYYSE!!!"  
  
Her only answer was her own voice echoing through the night, as the two Valuan warships briefly fought with the Delphinus, and then retreated toward the horizon.  
  
Aika had only just begun to recover through the sheer power of her stubbornness, though Fina was still a wreck, when Gilder and Enrique came running twenty minutes later, after the Delphinus had stood watch in case the warships returned, docked and unloaded.  
  
"Aika, what the hell happened here?!" the older Blue Rogue demanded, concerned and alarmed by the state the girls were in as well as the liberal amounts of blood on the ground. "Where's the kid?!"  
  
The orange-haired girl stood shakily, her cheeks bright red and blotchy with tears. "_Ramirez_," she spat, despising the man with all her being. "That...that... He took... Gildeeer!!" She sobbed anew as she ran forward and flung herself into the stunned Air Pirate's arms. "Gilder, he took Vyse!!"  
  
Enrique, who was helping Fina to her feet, glanced sharply at the traumatized pirate girl, blue eyes wide with bewilderment. "Ramirez kidnapped Vyse?" he repeated, astonished. "But..._why_? Why didn't he just kill him?"  
  
Aika merely shook her head to indicate that she didn't know any better than he did, her face buried in the dirty-blond pirate's ruffled shirt.  
  
"I think," Gilder said, his voice and expression both uncharacteristically but appropriately grim as he comforted the distraught redhead, "that we'd better get everyone fixed up and sort out what the hell just happened, and then figure out what we're doing next, because even if Vyse isn't dead now, once they get him inside Valua, he will be."  
  
There was not a word or motion of dissent among the other three.  
  
  
  
When Ramirez reached the deck of the Monoceros, his concern for the Air Pirate jumped; there was a good deal of blood slopped haphazardly about. He bit back a snarl; clearly, in spite of his express orders, those two soldiers had not been especially gentle with his injured body. The silver-haired swordsman strode inside the battleship, muttering a Sacres spell as he walked and letting it heal some of his injuries. Reaching the bridge, he was greeted by his Vice-Captain, Lucreze, a man of only decent skill and intelligence but excellent propensity for fulfilling orders precisely and without question or argument.  
  
"Lord Ramirez, sir!" he said sharply, saluting and falling in line behind the Silvite as he marched up to the Captain's position of the bridge. "You're injured?"  
  
"It's nothing," the Admiral snapped in reply. "I have had the leader of the Air Pirates, Vyse, taken prisoner. I commanded those who took him on board to seek proper treatment for his wounds, but if they were too incompetent to follow my instructions _not_ to aggravate his injuries, then I doubt they were competent enough to have him healed."  
  
"Sir, I have actually already received word from the soldiers in question," Lucreze replied respectfully. "The Air Pirate should be in the medical ward on the third level, but I will send someone to confirm his condition immediately."  
  
"Once you have done so, send a request for open communications to the Serpens," Ramirez commanded curtly.  
  
"Yes, sir!" Lucreze saluted before faithfully and speedily fulfilling his orders. As he went, the Admiral turned to the crew below.  
  
"Prepare defensive and evasive maneuvers against the Delphinus," he addressed his men without emotion. "I have no intentions of getting in a drawn-out battle with them."  
  
With a chorus of assenting voices, the crew of the Monoceros prepared to make Ramirez's instructions a reality. The Silvite Admiral stood above them, gazing out at the Delphinus and Serpens exchanging fire as he quickly formulated the best, most believable story to present Lord Galcian. It would have to be a damn good one to convince the Grand Admiral why he captured the Blue Rogue rather than killed him...  
  
Like a battle plan, the tactical genius mapped out his words, drawing upon his knowledge of and experience with Vyse and his crewmates and twisting it when necessary to create a perfectly reasonable strategy worthy of if he had had it in mind the entire time. By the time communications had been opened, he had a full, if not completely detailed, stratagem planned out, and prepared to speak with his lord.  
  
"Lord Galcian, this is Ramirez," the Silvite spoke in the radio transmitter before the captain's seat. "I respectfully request that we leave Crescent Isle and return to Valua."  
  
The radio crackled and came alive, and Galcian's surprisingly clear voice sounded. "Well met, Ramirez. I assume you have a good explanation for this request."  
  
"Of course," the Silvite replied neutrally. Very calm, very calm, no need to be suspicious... "I have taken Vyse, the leader of the Air Pirate rebels, captive. He is, as I have observed during my time among them, a sort of pillar to the rest of the pirates—they look to him for leadership, guidance and support. Without him, they would not be able to function." It's not a lie, it's not a lie, every reason to believe... "As opposed to giving them a swift, merciful end now, I thought it appropriate to separate them from their leader and send them down a spiral of despair before they meet their end along with any others that oppose us, as punishment for daring to rise against us in the first place."  
  
"This is your own personal revenge as well, isn't it, Ramirez?" Galcian surmised, but since he sounded amused rather than stern, the sixth Admiral decided to let him think so.  
  
"If I may be so bold, my lord, for acting so selfishly without your permission," Ramirez stated politely, being completely honest for the first time.  
  
"No, I approve. You have performed admirably in face of being surrounded by the enemy and apart from me," Galcian replied, his tone indicating he had never expected anything less. "Excellent work, Ramirez."  
  
The white-haired youth acknowledged this undeserved praise with an intense feeling of anxiety and guilt that sank from his gullet to his guts. "You are too kind, my lord."  
  
"Order your ship to withdraw," the Grand Admiral said then, after a shell struck the Serpens. "We will continue this conversation shortly, once we are a respectable distance away."  
  
"Yes, my lord," Ramirez murmured. As he did so, the true weight of what he had done began to press on him. Certainly, he had saved Vyse's life by lending him the superior medical aid available on the Monoceros—magic alone wouldn't be able to save him, not with wounds that bad, and Ramirez knew there was no one on Crescent Isle with the ability to treat him—but at the same time, he had condemned him to certain death by execution. There was no possible way Ramirez could release him—doing so purposely would mean breaking his vows to Lord Galcian, and that was simply not an option. ...Yet hadn't he done that just now, by blurring the truth? Yes, Vyse was like a pillar to the others, but they would not give up or lose hope simply because he was gone. They would do anything in their power to try to save him, just as he would do in return. He had essentially lied to Lord Galcian. Hadn't he already broken his vow?  
  
No, not broken, merely cracked—a crack that could be easily repaired, with Lord Galcian never knowing the difference. _He_ would know, though, Ramirez fretted, and he would always have that hanging over him...  
  
In addition, even now that the moment had passed, the Silvite still did not want the Blue Rogue to die whatsoever. Just as he couldn't break his oath, he couldn't let Vyse get killed. Ramirez could see no way to reconcile the two contradictory desires...  
  
_You _know_ deep down inside that you're just as dirty as the Arcadians you despise. What's wrong with getting dirtier, then? Take what you want, Ramirez! Be it gold, power, justice, destruction, or even Vyse himself!_  
  
The words from his dream last night returned to haunt his thoughts. Ramirez understood that dreams were a reflection of the subconscious, a way for hidden feelings to emerge... Was it possible that his mind was telling him that dallying with the handsome rogue was a certain way to become, as the King of Diamonds had said, dirty? But he had spoken of collecting strength and power in the same manner as collecting gold and wealth...  
  
The Silvite bit back a frustrated sigh; it wouldn't do to show any weakness in front of his inferiors.  
  
"Ramirez," the radio crackled again; in his musings, Ramirez hadn't noticed how far they had gone already.  
  
"Yes, Lord Galcian?" he responded.  
  
"What do you intend to do with the Air Pirate?"  
  
That was a difficult question to answer, since the Silvite had yet to plot out that part. He decided again to twist truthfulness, and answered, "I am not entirely sure yet, my lord; I have had a few different thoughts. Currently, he is in the medical ward; either way, he will only be of use to us alive."  
  
"Tell me some of your ideas."  
  
"Yes, sir," Ramirez replied, thinking quickly. "The Empire wishes for his head; I had thought that perhaps it would make a suitable farewell gift."  
  
Galcian chuckled. "That it would," he agreed, "but I doubt you would glean any personal satisfaction from that."  
  
"It is not a solution I find tasteful," Ramirez replied, amazed at how truthful he continued to be. "Another thought I had was to simply hold him hostage, in case the Air Pirates manage, on some off-chance, to pull themselves together long enough to attempt a rescue."  
  
"In that case, it would be simpler merely to kill him and ensure that he can never escape again," Galcian reflected, causing Ramirez to stiffen. "He is, as he has proved in the past, far too skilled at that."  
  
"That he is," the Silvite agreed in a controlled voice.  
  
"What else do you have?"  
  
Ramirez hesitated. "There is..." he said with some difficulty, because he had no other ideas, "...one more. I do not know if it is worth mentioning, however..."  
  
"I shall be the judge of that. I respect all of your suggestions, Ramirez, so speak."  
  
"Thank you, my lord," he murmured. He thought fleetingly of his duel yesterday with Vyse, and seizing upon that, the young Admiral began, "Vyse is...not weak."  
  
"Go on," Galcian prompted.  
  
"He shows potential for rivaling even my strength, one day," Ramirez continued, not wanting to insult his superior by putting the Air Pirate on _his_ level. "I have confirmed this personally and through careful observation, m'lord. Because of that, I had thought it a shame to waste such promise..."  
  
"Should he work against us, then that promise will only be a threat to us," the senior Admiral promptly replied. "If even you will acknowledge his power, though—you, Ramirez, who were humiliated by him—then his capability must indeed be great. Tell me, what is the likelihood of him swearing himself to me in exchange for his life, or perhaps the safety of his crew...and then the probability of keeping himself bound to that oath?"  
  
That was the problem; Vyse would never, under any circumstances, ally himself with the Grand Admiral, and Ramirez knew it all too well. "Vyse is loyal," he chose to respond first, "fiercely so, sometimes. If it were for a friend, I believe there is nothing he would not do. However, even he has his limits. I..." He hesitated. If he told Lord Galcian that Vyse would never join him, it would be the same as piercing the rogue's chest by his own hand. But...he couldn't lie directly, not to the man who had been his mentor. He just _couldn't_. "I do not believe he would ever willingly swear himself to you, my lord."  
  
"He is useless, then," Galcian said dismissively, confirming Ramirez's greatest fears. "I have no use for anyone who may betray me."  
  
The Silvite tried to answer that, but found he couldn't. The comment had struck far too close to his heart.  
  
"We will, as you first suggested, present him to Empress Teodora for execution," the powerful swordsman continued.  
  
"Yes, m'lord," Ramirez murmured.  
  
There was a pause. "However," Galcian added slyly.  
  
"Yes, m'lord?" the young swordsman queried, knowing better than to hope.  
  
"As we discussed earlier, the Air Pirate Vyse has proved extremely apt at escaping from even the most heavily guarded of prisons," the Grand Admiral said smoothly. "I know you are not happy with handing him over to the Empire, especially now that we are this close to the fruition of my plans, and have no real reason to cater to the Empress' desires any longer. If the Air Pirate attempts to break out before you reach Valua, well..." He chuckled. "You can hardly be faulted with having to executing him personally to prevent his flight, can you?"  
  
It was quite a convenient loophole, and the thought of how it very neatly cut off all of his options made Ramirez's blood freeze. He truly was trapped... There was no decision forthwith he could make that would not damn him in some way.  
  
/_What...what can I do...?_/ he wondered despairingly, even as he neutrally answered, "Understood, Lord Galcian."  
  
"I will return to the Grand Fortress to speak with the other Admiral about what will occur from here on," the Grand Admiral continued. "Your presence, though desired, is not required; I understand that you will have several issues of your own to sort through. From there, I will be heading from here on to Dangral Island for a thorough inspection," he continued. "At your earliest convenience, sail to the Grand Fortress and meet me there, where I will brief you on what has happened in your absence. I assume you still recall what we are searching for in Deep Sky, so I will not pursue that subject. I leave the matter of the Air Pirate in your hands, so do whatever you deem appropriate."  
  
"Understood, m'lord. I'll do so."  
  
Communications cut out, leaving Ramirez feeling empty and drained. Lucreze, who had rejoined him by then, looked expectantly at him for his next orders. Restraining his growing depression, the Silvite obliged him with, "Set course for Valua."  
  
"There is a particularly violent storm to the north currently, which blew in as we first sailed here," the vice-captain calmly informed him. "We will have to take the long way around the mountains. Is that all right, sir?"  
  
Ramirez replied frigidly, "Is there any other choice? We can take our time. I am in no hurry, after all." He stepped past Lucreze and continued, "I'm retiring for the night to take care of personal business. Find an inconspicuous place to drop anchor, and allow the soldiers to rest and recover; we will set sail in thirty-six hours. As for the Air Pirate Vyse, once he is healed, set up sleeping arrangements for him in a high security cell and lock him up there. Make sure a warm meal is ready for him when he awakens, and that he actually eats what he is served; it won't do for him to starve before he can be brought to Valua. Post guards both inside and outside the room. Have them understand that they are _not_ to interact with the prisoner beyond what is strictly necessary. Have his weapons and anything that was found on his person during treatment delivered to my quarters. Anyone who attempts to pilfer anything will answer personally to me."  
  
"Yes, sir," the helmeted vice-captain saluted.  
  
Pressing a hand to his left temple, which was now flaked with dried blood, Ramirez left the bridge, making a few more healing spells and a shower his first priorities. Vyse would still be unconscious for a while more, and aside from that, he needed time to recover; there wasn't yet a need to check up on him. Thirty-six hours until they set sail, and then the trip back to Valua would take at least two days from here, now that the shortest route was blocked. That gave him three nights and four days to think of _something_ before they reached the Grand Fortress.  
  
First things first, though. With a sigh, he made his way to his personal quarters.  
  
  
  
A dull ache pounded at the back of his head as his eyelids twitched and began to flutter open. Somebody was talking, arguing?, with someone else not too far away to his right. He didn't recognize either voice. With a small moan, Vyse let his head fall in that direction, wondering what the hell was going on, and saw through bleary eyes two fitted Valuan soldiers conversing in front of a thick steel door.  
  
"—bullshit, it is!" the one on the left was saying heatedly. "That damn Air Pirate's a menace! _Why_ is Lord Ramirez wasting good food on him?!"  
  
"Don't let him hear you say that," the second one said warningly. "I agree with you, it's a waste, but it's Lord Ramirez's orders, so we don't have any place to question them, unless you _want_ to lose your life. Besides, the Blue Rogue will be taken to Valua in four or five days, and then he'll be executed shortly after. Even if he _is_ a threat to the Empire, he's still human. He deserves a few good meals before he dies."  
  
That woke up Vyse very well; there weren't many other Blue Rogues they _could_ be discussing. Letting the covers fall from his bandaged chest as he pulled himself from his cot, the chocolate brown-haired youth threw his bare feet out onto the cold metal floor. He attempted to stand, but his wounds were still fresh, and with an aggravated wince, he fell back onto the cot.  
  
The actions did not go unnoticed. Both guards were now watching him with pointed silence. The right-hand guard grabbed a standing tray next to him and carried it to the Blue Rogue, setting it before him. On it was a glass of milk—well, water and powdered milk, Vyse assumed—a large chunk of grain bread, and a covered bowl with a soup spoon over a napkin beside it.  
  
When Vyse glanced up at the soldier warily, the soldier stated simply, "Eat."  
  
"If I refuse?" the Blue Rogue ventured.  
  
"Lord Ramirez has ordered us to make sure you eat," he replied stiffly. "So _eat_."  
  
/_Well, if I'm being brought to Valua for execution, he's probably not going to poison me in the meantime,_/ Vyse reasoned grimly, and submitted, removing the tin covering from the bowl to reveal steaming tomato soup. The soldier returned to his post at the door while the rogue kept his eyes on the two suspiciously and grudgingly dug in, resolving to question the Valuans after he finished eating.  
  
Although the meal was filling, his attempts at conversation didn't leave him nearly so satisfied, and after it was made very clear that the guards had weapons and armor, and he—wearing his usual black pants, chest and arm bandages, and nothing else—definitely did _not_, Vyse laid himself down on his cot and folded his arms behind his head, ignoring the twinges of pain that resulted, with a scowl at the ceiling.  
  
All in all, it looked as if he'd made a huge judgment error, and he was going to pay for it with his life. He was especially frustrated to know that what Ramirez had said before was right: he _should_ have seen this coming. Aika, his father, and even the Silvite himself had all warned him that Ramirez's allegiances were with Galcian alone. There had been so many clues he should have pieced together, and that he _did_ piece together now with the power of hindsight. All those little comments, those things he did, that would have raised alarms in the heads of anyone who wasn't so determined to believe in someone who was plotting to betray them...  
  
/_How could I have been so damn stupid?!_/ Vyse swore, clenching a fist. His only hope was that Aika and the others would come to save him, because in this situation, there wasn't a thing he could do except wait.  
  
That hurt. It all hurt... The sword wounds on his body, the fact that his so-called friend had inflicted them on him, the fact that he'd been duped so completely, the fact that Ramirez still did this even after Vyse had offered to trust him without reserve, the fact that all his efforts had amounted to nothing, the fact that he had had his wings not just clipped but effectively sheared off...  
  
/_Ramirez..._/ the Blue Rogue mentally whispered, shutting his eyelids tightly.  
  
He didn't know how much time had passed, much less when he dozed off again, but the next thing he knew, the sound of heavy steel locks being undone and the cell door creaking open jolted him into consciousness. His head swimming, but at least not aching as it had been when he'd first awakened, the captive stared at the guards huddled at the door and murmuring something he couldn't clearly hear from here.  
  
/_Looks like they're just getting the food tray from before out of here,_/ Vyse observed glumly, but he thought too soon. The guards indeed were performing that exchange, but when they glanced back at him and parted, the Blue Rogue sat up bolt-straight—  
  
Walking in at an even pace between the guards was Ramirez.  
  
He looked more or less the same as usual, the distinct differences being the wicked-looking sword at his left hip and the dark expression on his face. His emerald eyes were fixed on Vyse, but when he had taken four long strides into the room, he glanced back at the guards.  
  
"Leave us," he commanded, his voice like a plume of ice.  
  
"Sir, but..." one startled soldier began.  
  
Ramirez narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Do you think," he said even more frigidly than before, "that I cannot defend myself against one unarmed man? One whom I've already defeated?"  
  
"My apologies, Lord Ramirez," the soldier amended hastily, quick to scurry out.  
  
The Silvite Admiral returned his gaze to his captive. "Shut the door, but leave it unlocked," he added curtly to the remaining soldier. "The Air Pirate cannot get past me and he knows it."  
  
Vyse, who had been glaring with doleful brown eyes at the apparently heartless swordsman, averted his gaze to the side.  
  
This soldier knew enough not to say anything. "Yes, Lord Ramirez," he saluted, and left, following the sixth Admiral's orders as he went.  
  
Vyse kept his eyes on the floor as he waited for Ramirez to say the first word. He didn't trust himself not to start yelling, and considering his position, that definitely wasn't something he wanted to do. The Blue Rogue noticed belatedly that the rest of his clothes were folded neatly at the foot of his bed with his goggle on top, next to his boots; he wondered if they'd always been there, or if they'd been put there after he'd fallen asleep.  
  
He glanced, sweating slightly, up at the intimidating Silvite. It was especially worse when Ramirez was standing and he was sitting, because then he lost his height advantage... Why was he just standing there? What the hell did he _want_? With an irritated sigh, Vyse sat up straight again and, glaring back at him, asked brusquely, "What?"  
  
The silver-haired Admiral still didn't reply at first, although his eyes did flicker with some emotion—melancholy? /_But that couldn't be it,_/ Vyse knew; /_it doesn't make sense. All his plans have gone just the way he wanted; what's he have to be sad about?_/  
  
Vyse had no way of knowing that that was precisely why Ramirez was tumbling down a spiral of despair not unlike the one he had claimed the Air Pirate's friends would travel. Looking at the injured rogue now only served to remind him of what he was doing, and how, even though it was, according to Lord Galcian, the right thing to do, he felt utterly miserable about it. And no matter how much he tried to deny it, the entire situation had a feel similar to back then...  
  
_He had slammed his hands down on the table, facing Admiral Mendosa, who sat opposite him with a politely bewildered stare. The guards surrounding him also stared at Ramirez, as if wondering what in the Moons had gotten into the usually quiet and polite young man._  
  
_"M'lord!" the recently inducted soldier had cried. "Is...is it true? Is it true about the Moonstones?! And the Ixa'takan slaves?!"_  
  
_Mendosa's smirk was rueful, but it nonetheless did nothing to assuage his fears. "I won't lie to you," he began, and the Silvite youth's hopes raised a little before they crashed and burned as the Admiral continued, "Yes, it is true." He shrugged slightly, still smirking. "But, what's the problem? Is there something wrong with making money? With desiring wealth and power?"_  
  
_"You are forcing the Ixa'takans to work grueling hours in inhumane conditions!" Ramirez argued hotly, scandalized by the man's flippant attitude—an attitude he had never shown before now. Was this what Admiral Mendosa was _really_ like? Had the Elders truly been correct? Had he been taking advantage of his trust this entire time?! Admiral Galcian's words returned to him then, and with them burning in his mind, the Silvite youth continued, "M'lord, you promised me... You told me that you would speak to Her Majesty in regards to the way the Ixa'takans were being treated!"_  
  
_Mendosa laughed quietly, his smirk increasing. "You truly are naïve, aren't you? And what exactly do you think would have happened if I did that? Her Majesty would find out about my little scheme, and I would basically be signing my own death warrant."_  
  
_The idealistic Silvite was rendered speechless for several seconds, staring as if mortally wounded at the man who had offered to be like a father to him. "How..." he whispered, "how could you lie to me like that?!"_  
  
_Another small shrug. The Admiral no longer looked repentant in the least as he spoke, "It is quite unfortunate that things had to turn out this way, Ramirez. And to think I thought of you as a son..." He shook his head and continued, "Regardless, you have uncovered my plans and have left me with no choice." Waving a hand sharply, Mendosa commanded, "Guards! Seize him!"_  
  
_"Everything..." Ramirez, whose world of ideals had shattered around him like a delicate orb of spun glass, whispered as Mendosa's men moved to do as they were told, none of them showing any hint that they had been surprised by this confession. "All that I have believed in..." Grabbing the handle of Ilazki and drawing the deadly silver blade, the broken-hearted young man raised his voice to the heavens, wrathfully, wretchedly, in a piercing scream._  
  
"What did you take me captive for?" the Blue Rogue's voice sounded, cutting through his memories.  
  
Ramirez's eyes narrowed as he regarded the scowling pirate. "If I hadn't, you would have bled to death, and I would have been forced to murder your friends as well."  
  
"Ohhh, you would have been FORCED, eh?" Vyse snapped, narrowing his eyes, his barely controlled anger getting the better of him. "So you're saying that you didn't have a _choice_ in giving Galcian the Crystals and stabbing us all in the back?"  
  
"You don't understand," Ramirez began, but the Air Pirate wouldn't hear it.  
  
"I don't _understand_?" he said incredulously. "You're still saying that after all this? Don't give me that! I finally understand perfectly!"  
  
"No, you don't," the Silvite Admiral snapped.  
  
"You had this planned since Yafutoma!" Vyse yelled. "You must have had plenty of choices since then to quit!"  
  
"It's not as simple as that!" Ramirez replied, his voice rising. "I have my duties. I can't just shirk them for someone I haven't known for even two lunar cycles!"  
  
What the white-haired young man said made so much sense that the Blue Rogue couldn't refute a word of it, and instead he glared hatefully at the floor. "So now what, then?" he muttered.  
  
The Silvite Admiral hesitated, but he dully told Vyse the truth. "You'll be taken to Valua and most likely face a prompt execution for your crimes against the Empire."  
  
"So you spared my life only to see me killed in public?" the Blue Rogue cried, eyes wide in outrage. "Ramirez, you're _sick_!"  
  
Ramirez shut his eyes as he ground his teeth slightly. He hadn't meant it like that...but in the end, he knew that that was to what it amounted regardless. Perhaps it would have been kinder to let him die on his own terms, on the battlefield... At least there was some amount of dignity in such a death. But he had let his emotions get in the way, and Vyse would die before a roaring crowd, like his father almost had... "It...was...a mistake," the Silvite finally stated with some difficulty.  
  
Vyse rolled his eyes. "So you _accidentally_ brought me aboard your ship and had me patched up so I'd be all healthy for execution?"  
  
"That's not—" the shorter swordsman began, but he hesitated, and turned his troubled gaze down to the metal floor. "I didn't want you to die," he murmured.  
  
"WHAT THE HELL KIND OF SENSE DOES THAT MAKE?" Vyse bellowed, rising to his feet.  
  
His jade eyes flashing with anger as he glared back up at the rogue, Ramirez repeated with a snarl, "You _don't _understand!!"  
  
"Then enlighten me! What in the name of the six Moons don't I understand?!" the Air Pirate challenged the Admiral, spreading his arms.  
  
Clenching his teeth, the silver-haired swordsman shot his hands up and grabbed Vyse by the locks of hair behind his ears, prompting a sound wince. "You _idiot_," he hissed, green eyes trembling with fury and emotional torment. "I _love_ you!!"  
  
A wide-eyed, open-mouthed gape met this sudden, completely unexpected confession. The pain caused by the Admiral pulling on his hair was forgotten, and when he remembered to breathe several seconds later, he stuttered, "Wh, _what_?"  
  
Realizing that he was again allowing his tumultuous feelings to get the better of him but not caring one damn bit, Ramirez pulled harder as he tilted his chin upwards, forcing Vyse's face to meet his in a forceful, reckless kiss.  
  
The double whammy made Vyse's brain freeze up as effectively as if Ramirez had cast Crystali on it, and as such, he stood there, numb, as his mind repeated, _Oh shit, oh shit, he's kissing me, he's really serious, he's kissing me, oh shit_, over and over again. At length, Ramirez broke away, releasing his hold on Vyse's locks gently and stepping away, his cheeks scratched with red, unable to meet the Blue Rogue's incredulous stare.  
  
Vyse teetered on his feet, and then fell roughly back onto his cot, his arms hanging limply at his side. "You...you kissed me," he breathed, unable to take his wide eyes off of the Silvite.  
  
"Yes," the young Admiral mumbled, his blush deepening as he raised a hand to cover his lips. "Yes, I did."  
  
His mind still firmly anchored in the moment, the Air Pirate continued to gawk. "You—_kissed_ me," he repeated, like a broken record.  
  
"_Yes_," Ramirez muttered, his irritation growing.  
  
"But—but _why_?" Vyse sputtered, still unable to grasp what had just happened.  
  
Wearily, finally glancing down at the object of his affections, he replied, "I _told_ you why."  
  
Dazed, the captive stared off into the distance for a moment, then breathed, "_Moons_." He shook his head, as if to clear away the fog in which he had found himself, and gaining some mental traction, he shouted, "...What in the MOONS?" The young ship captain stood again, his anger returning to him. "You love me, yet you're sending me to die in Valua?! What the hell is wrong with you?!"  
  
Ramirez turned his back to him and walked away several steps. "More than you can imagine," he muttered.  
  
Throwing up his arms in frustration, Vyse demanded, "So then what?! What was the point of doing that now?!" Narrowing his eyes in suspicion, he inquired, "Are you saying that you'll let me live if I, I _submit_ to you?!"  
  
"I'm not like that!" Ramirez yelled, his back tensing visibly.  
  
"You've been lying to me practically since the day I met you!" the usually cheerful youth snapped. "How am I supposed to know what you're like?!"  
  
There was a moment of silence as Vyse glowered, seething, at Ramirez's back, waiting for his retort, but there came none, aside from his shoulders sagging slightly.  
  
"Well?" the Blue Rogue finally sharply said. "What do you have to say for yourself?"  
  
Ramirez straightened again, and this time he spoke, his voice slightly stiff. "Do you...hate me?"  
  
Vyse laughed, but it was a reaction of pure surprise, not amusement. "Do I _hate_ you?" he repeated. "Of _course_ I hate you!! I gave you my sincere trust, and you took it, wadded it into a ball, and shoved it in my face! Do you think I can forgive you for what you've done?!" His words were too harsh, he knew, and somewhere in his mind, the incensed Blue Rogue realized he'd end up regretting them for sure, but at the moment he didn't care about the repercussions.  
  
"Right...right," the Admiral mumbled, raising his left hand to his forehead, reminded all of a sudden of Belleza's words from when he originally shared with her the plan that brought him to this point in the first place:  
  
_"He'll hate you forever, you know—Vyse, I mean. There's no way a guy like him can ever forgive the type of betrayal you're planning."_  
  
"You lose, Ramirez," the Silvite whispered to himself through clenched teeth, hiding his face with one gloved hand. "And you thought you were so clever..."  
  
"_What_ are you talking about?" the Air Pirate almost yelled, roughly grabbing the Admiral's shoulder.  
  
Ramirez spun about and smacked away Vyse's hand, his long bangs veiling his eyes. "Don't...get...too...familiar," he enunciated clearly, his head bowed slightly. "You seem to have forgotten that you're my prisoner."  
  
"Trust me, I haven't forgotten," the Blue Rogue growled, but he did back away, having been reminded of his position.  
  
"Then, since you still remember, you will quietly sit down and behave yourself," Ramirez said tightly. "I don't want to kill you, but if you cause too much of a fuss, or try to escape, I will have no other choice."  
  
"I'm going to Valua to get executed in a few days anyway, what's the difference?" Vyse protested, but the headstrong young pirate sat down regardless. In spite of his nihilistic words, he still valued his life and didn't care to see it extinguished, and after his battle with the stronger swordsman, he didn't doubt that he would do as he said.  
  
The action did not escape the Admiral's notice. Glowering down at him through the pale strands of his hair, he said in a low voice, "I thought that would convince you. He turned his gaze to the folded pile of Vyse's things. "Put your clothes on."  
  
The captive bit back an insult or refusal; he had managed to sober his temper a bit, and besides, he'd meant to do that anyway. Without a word, he grabbed his undershirt, blue jacket—it had been cleaned and repaired very well, Vyse noted—scarf, goggle, belts and boots and began to don them one by one. As he did so, he finally got a good look around the room; even though Ramirez told him he shouldn't escape, and escape was pretty bleak whether he was told so or not, Vyse was an eternal optimist, and he had to check out his avenues anyway.  
  
They weren't promising. It was not a small room, about the size of his room back at Crescent Isle, but it was utterly devoid of furniture other than the cot on which he'd been sleeping. The wall, floor and ceiling were all bare, gleaming, polished steel, but for an air vent that was far too narrow for him to try to squeeze into. The only exit and entrance was the door through which Ramirez had arrived. There were no windows; illumination was provided by electric lights hanging from the ceiling in long tubes. Vyse wondered what the lights were made of—if they were glass, he could try breaking them and using the broken edges as a weapon... It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing, and if he caught one of the guards by surprise, maybe he could take his sword...  
  
As he pulled on his leather boots, he scowled at Ramirez, then crossed his arms silently, staring up defiantly at his former friend. The young Admiral returned the stare, but his gaze was weary, and after a moment without words, he shook his head slowly and walked to the door.  
  
There, he stopped, his hand on the door handle, and turned back to look directly at Vyse. "I told you not to trust me," he said quietly, face set grimly, his green eyes reflecting the chaos in his heart. "I _told_ you, over and over. Why didn't you listen to me?"  
  
Vyse furrowed his brows, his lips parting slightly. Though still wishing to throttle the silver-haired swordsman, he was beginning to calm down, and Ramirez's words couldn't help but bother him.  
  
The Silvite swordsman glanced away to the floor, his expression of brooding, regretful sorrow. "Nothing gets accomplished if all you do is believe," he muttered. "There are no such things as miracles..." he faced his back to the pirate once again, turning the handle, "...and wishes don't come true."  
  
The Blue Rogue didn't know what to say, so he said nothing. He heard the Admiral murmur to the guards, "Remain where you are now. There's no need to be in the room with him; however, be sure to lock the door." He bleakly stared as the heavy door—at _least_ three inches thick, he noted—slammed shut after the Admiral, leaving him alone.  
  
With a frustrated sigh, Vyse stretched himself out on his cot, his eyes shut as he gave himself up to contemplation.  
  
/_...He kissed me,_/ he mentally murmured, lifting one hand and dropping it to his lips as he blushed. /_Moons, I still can't believe it..._/ Vyse parted his eyelids, his anger waning into anxiety, now that he was left to ponder that part of his confrontation with Ramirez. /_How long? How long has he been in love with me? I don't get it..._/  
  
He thought back to the day before yesterday, the clues that Ramirez had dropped. Like his betrayal, his confession shouldn't have been something that had shocked Vyse as much as it had.  
  
/_Moons!_/ the brunet rogue swore, clenching his teeth. /_Am I really this oblivious? Or was I just fooling myself, telling myself it was friendship and nothing more?_/ He raised his hand, the one that Ramirez had clasped two nights ago, and consternation filled his eyes. /_...No,_/ he thought, /_wasn't I wondering what it would be like to...be _with_ Ramirez? And Ramirez as much as asked me if I was gay... Was I unintentionally stringing him along? Was he hoping I was in love with him, too? Shit!_/ The Air Pirate sat up to hunch over his knees. /_Was him asking me that his way of trying to get my attention?_/  
  
He stood and began to pace nervously. "Am I really so clueless that I need to get stabbed and kissed before I can see what should've been obvious the entire time?" he muttered, running a hand through his brown bangs. "I'd figured it out without realizing it, too!" he added, thinking back to that night during the installation of the Delphinus' new engine. "He had to insult me in the meantime, but he told me he liked me, and I thought to myself, 'Was it a love confession? But no, he's not like that!' Well, six Moons above, he _was_ like that!!" Vyse stomped a foot, aggravated, and sighed.  
  
/_...I wonder,_/ he thought, raising his brown eyes to the lights, /_would things have turned out differently if I hadn't been so damn thick? Maybe Ramirez couldn't take it anymore... And shit, he even _told_ me I'd been saying suggestive things! It must have hurt!_/ Vyse groaned mentally, gritting his teeth and slapping his forehead in self-disgust. /_Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, _shit_! I'm such an _idiot_!!_/  
  
With a groan, he walked over to his cot and collapsed on top of it, kicking off his boots before resting his feet. Vyse remembered clearly how he'd pondered the other night what it would be like to get together with Ramirez... Well, fat chance of that happening _now_; he couldn't love someone he didn't trust, and after all _this_, there was no way he could trust the Silvite, possibly ever again. He had to wonder, though, if things had taken a different turn, if something, somehow, had gone differently. Would he have eventually fallen for Ramirez, like Ramirez had fallen for him? How _had_ Ramirez fallen in love with him, anyway—and when?  
  
"I need to talk to him again," he murmured anxiously, eyes on the ceiling. The captain of the Delphinus also well remembered his hasty words from just now, and as was expected, he regretted them. "Maybe, if we talk, we can work something out..."  
  
He was still hurt and angered by the Silvite's betrayal; that was something Vyse continued to believe that Ramirez hadn't _had_ to do. His trust in the white-haired young man had also been wrecked, and it would take a heck of a lot for it to be restored. Vyse wasn't sure it _could_ be restored. But after going over their conversation, the brunet Air Pirate realized that things were hard on Ramirez, too—especially considering his depressing closing comments. Maybe they _could_ come to some agreement if they managed to talk. Vyse wasn't about to apologize for anything; considering what Ramirez had done to him, the captive felt vindicated in allowing himself that! But there were plenty of other things that could be said...  
  
That was, of course, assuming that he would get a chance to say them. The handsome Blue Rogue glanced at the door nervously; there was no guarantee that Ramirez would come to talk to him again, especially after how badly their conversation had gone. Vyse wondered if the guards would tell their superior if the prisoner wanted to talk to him... Probably not, but it was worth a shot. He had to at least _try_. The brown-eyed rogue needed to settle things clearly with Ramirez, anyway—there was just too much left hanging in the air as it was. Hell, even if he ended up dying anyway, at least he'd be able to have finished up business with _one_ person.  
  
With a sigh, Vyse began to do the only thing he _could_ do at the moment: wait.  
  
  
  
Ramirez was not faring as well as the Blue Rogue. The desolation he felt was overpowering, and he went through the motions of his day emptily, only waiting for time to pass until night and the futile chase of sleep came once again.  
  
In spite of his best efforts, his thoughts continued to return to his failed attempt to speak with Vyse. It was natural that it would be a failure; it would have been strange if Vyse _hadn't_ been angry with him. But he had told him his true feelings, and then kissed him... And the handsome rogue may as well have spat in his face. Again, not that Ramirez blamed him, but it still hurt, though he knew he deserved it.  
  
/_That conversation _couldn't_ have gone any worse,_/ he thought bleakly that night as he prepared for night, setting Ilazki down on his bed as he changed out of his uniform. /_Although I suppose it's for the best... If Vyse hates me, it will be easier to watch him die..._/ Ramirez shut his eyes and shook his head. /_Who do I think I'm fooling? I'll be just as miserable no matter what I do. What a wonderful catch-22 I've created for myself..._/  
  
He wondered briefly if he should bother trying to talk to Vyse again. The Blue Rogue had made his feelings on the matter quite clear that morning, however, and to Ramirez, it hardly seemed necessary. The worst was likely what would happen, and the worst was that he'd humiliate himself again, or be forced to kill Vyse for one reason or another. If he couldn't slay the blue-clad Air Pirate in the heat of battle, he'd never be able to do it with a cool mind.  
  
There was also the matter of his friends; he did not doubt they'd try to come rescue him. If they fought at a distance, using their airships, the Delphinus was nearly certain to win; it could fly and sink to heights the Monoceros couldn't hope to reach, and there was also the Moon Stone Cannon. However, if they boarded the Monoceros in an attempt to break Vyse out personally, as Ramirez thought they were likely to do, they were dead. He would have no choice but to fight them face-to-face again, and he would _slaughter_ them; doing otherwise would be to fail Lord Galcian.  
  
Ramirez could see no escape from the abysmally poor choices he had made. With a soft groan, he let his head sink into his raised hands. He had always prided himself on his careful tactics, his brilliant stratagems...yet even with all the skill he possessed, he was on the verge of crumbling, all for a love unrequited.  
  
He dropped his hands and shook his head. There was still a little time; perhaps if he considered the matter a little longer, he would be able to conceive something... Ramirez was not the unflagging optimist that Vyse was, though, and his belief in himself was at an all-time low besides. Despair inflected in his every movement, the deeply wounded Silvite very gently turned off the lights and climbed into bed, his right hand on his sword, as he had grown accustomed to sleeping shortly after falling under Lord Galcian's command.  
  
"Of all people, why did I have to fall in love with _that_ one...?" the silver-haired swordsman murmured to himself. "Why... Why can't things ever be simple?" He closed his eyes tightly, futilely attempting sleep.  
  
  
  
As it happened, Ramirez's predictions on the actions Aika and company would take were precise. That morning, the four had assembled in the meeting room, the rest of the crew busy at beginning the rebuilding of the island for their kidnapped leader, to discuss what should be done.  
  
"Vyse cannot be left on the Monoceros," Enrique began the conversation, his fingers crossed. "If, as Gilder said yesterday, he is taken all the way to Valua, it's certain that his execution will shortly follow."  
  
"I'm all for a rescue," the dirty-blond Air Pirate smirked, glancing at the girls. "I assume you ladies are, too?"  
  
Fina and Aika nodded, their faces set with seriousness. "Vyse risked his life to save me," the former said. "I couldn't call myself his friend if I wouldn't do the same."  
  
"Even if it means fighting against Ramirez?" Enrique inquired, his expression sympathetic in spite of his less than tactful words.  
  
The white-clad Silvite girl averted her eyes. "...Even if it means...fighting against Ramirez," she agreed sadly.  
  
"Ramirez has already said that he was using us from the beginning," Aika added, narrowing her brown eyes. "There's no reason for us to show any mercy."  
  
"Not to put a damper on things, but considering how easily he beat you, Fina and Vyse up, I wouldn't be the one thinking about showing mercy," Gilder pointed out.  
  
Aika gritted her teeth. "I _know_," she said. "Ramirez could've killed us easily. I think he only let us live because he wanted us to suffer. He and I were never crazy about each other, but I don't understand why he'd be that cruel to Fina, too." She glanced worriedly at her delicate friend.  
  
Fina shook her head. "I don't understand either..." she murmured.  
  
"Not like we'll ever find out," Gilder said sensibly. "What we're after is Vyse!"  
  
"Right!" the redheaded girl nodded fiercely. "We'll set sail in the Delphinus to chase after, find and engage the Monoceros before the day is out! We can't afford to waste a single minute!"  
  
The others all nodded, smiling. "And as long as Vyse is incapacitated, Aika, perhaps you should act as standing captain?" Enrique suggested.  
  
Vyse's childhood friend started, surprised. "What? Me?"  
  
"You've known Vyse the longest," Fina pointed out, smiling as well. "You'd know best what he'd do, so you'd be best to emulate his leadership skills."  
  
"What Fina said," Gilder added, his smile easygoing. "Besides, you're the girl with the plan, Aika, not to mention the drive. We all want to save Vyse, believe me, but nobody here wants to save him as much as you."  
  
The Blue Rogue girl blushed crimson, but she grinned regardless. "Thanks, everyone," she said warmly. "Now...let's move out!"  
  
  
  
The next morning, the Delphinus had taken to high sky at top speed, assuming that the Monoceros had gone straight to Valua and hoping to overtake them. As such, when the Monoceros really unanchored from the mountain range separating the lands under the Red and Yellow Moons and set sail southbound, the mighty battleship was nowhere to be seen, and the two simply passed each other by without realizing it. Ramirez commanded his men to keep a watch out for the Delphinus, not knowing that it wasn't necessary, but occupying his mind with ship battle strategies at least distracted him temporarily from the misery that would otherwise consume him. The journey was a smooth one, with good winds and clear skies, the only upsets being the occasional monster attacks, but that was a given if you were sailing. It looked as if they might reach Valua on schedule, a mere two nights from now; perhaps not even that.  
  
The thought did not bring Ramirez any comfort.  
  
He stood above the others on the captain's platform, silently brooding. No one asked him what the matter was; the fact of the matter was that Ramirez did not care about the personal wellbeing of the men in his crew beyond the fact that they were whole and able to fight when called upon, and so in return they did not care about him, either. There were few in the Armada who cared about the dangerous, deceptively powerful man. It would be like worrying about a roc; there just isn't any need to spare it those kinds of thoughts. All that mattered is that they followed his orders; as long as they did that and did it well and promptly, all was well.  
  
It was early in the afternoon that there was a disturbance in the day, though nothing that impeded the flight to Valua. One of the guards stationed outside of Vyse's cell arrived on the bridge and politely called for his captain's attention. Ramirez gave it to him, and the guard was not entirely thrilled to receive it, considering his reaction.  
  
"Why are you here?" the white-haired swordsman demanded, eyes narrowed as he regarded the soldier. "I do _not_ recall giving orders for you to leave your post."  
  
Knowing very well what would happen if the conversation continued down this thread, the guard worriedly saluted and said, "Lord Ramirez, sir! I'm terribly sorry to disturb you, but the prisoner has requested to speak with you."  
  
The Silvite narrowed his eyes, not revealing his simultaneous dread and curiosity. "Explain yourself," he commanded coldly.  
  
"This morning, when given his breakfast, the Air Pirate expressed a desire to speak with you, Lord Ramirez," the guard restated. "He was ignored, as you commanded, but he was insistent, going so far as to attempt to escape. Of course, his efforts were thwarted, and he is currently still locked securely in his cell."  
  
"Why are you telling me this _now_, several hours after the incident?" Ramirez queried, his tone dropping several degrees.  
  
In spite of the frigidity, the soldier broke out into a sweat under his armor. "It...er..." he fumbled. "Well, to bother you with such a thing simply because a _prisoner_ asks for it..."  
  
"Then why tell me at all?" the Silvite Admiral inquired, his voice and expression not changing.  
  
The soldier guard almost quailed under Ramirez's accusatory scrutiny, but he managed to stay his ground and reply, "You...we remembered recently that you had gone out of your way to speak with him yesterday, so we thought that perhaps you would be interested that the...Air Pirate made the request to begin with... Not that you are obliged to do as the prisoner asks, of course," he added hastily. "We simply thought that it may have been of interest to you..."  
  
The green-eyed swordsman glowered at the soldier for a moment more, then turned his stare out to the sky beyond the ship's windshield. "You were right about one thing," he said curtly. "I am not at the Air Pirate's beck and call. If I speak with him again, it would be for my own reasons, not because he desired it." He shut his eyes. "Return to your post immediately. Considering the situation, I will overlook your discrepancy this once."  
  
The soldier couldn't obey quickly enough, and he left Ramirez with much to consider. Vyse wanted to speak with him so badly he had attempted escape, unarmed, against four armed guards? That in itself piqued his interest, but he doubted that there was anything they had to say to each other...  
  
/_No,_/ he corrected himself, /_there is much we have to discuss. It's just that it will change nothing..._/  
  
Ramirez had been awake most of the night pondering his next courses of actions, but he could think of no way to spare Vyse's life without suffering severe repercussions. He prided himself on having been able to earn Lord Galcian's trust and respect; releasing the rogue would cost him all the work he had put into seven years of faithful service. The Grand Admiral's philosophy was to trust no one, after all; that he, Ramirez, would be able to have earned even a small measure of it was not something to be taken, or thrown away, lightly.  
  
/_I will probably have to end up killing Vyse after all,_/ he thought bleakly. There was nothing he could do about that. Lord Galcian came before everyone else, even the handsome rogue he loved, after all; that was Ramirez's truth, his reality, the dogma from which he could not, _would_ not, deviate his life. Even if he wanted the young ship captain to continue to live, there was nothing he could conceivably do to prevent his impending, certain death...  
  
He continued to consider the situation with a grave mind and a fixed face, and in the end, he decided that after dinner, when Vyse would be given his second meal, he would go to speak with him. Ramirez truly didn't think anything would come of it, but if he was going to let Vyse die after all, the least he could do was grant what was likely to be the rogue's final request...  
  
The heavyhearted swordsman's timing was precise; he arrived just as the guards were about to shut and lock the cell door for the night, having just escorted Vyse back from the bathroom after his dinner. A sharp glance and a cool re-invocation of yesterday's procedure was all that was necessary, and Ramirez was shortly gazing across the prison cell at Vyse, who was standing and staring at him with sad eyes. There was a large bruise on the rogue's jaw, to the right of his chin, but the Admiral chose to ignore it for now.  
  
"You wished to speak with me," the Silvite stated, rather than asked.  
  
The abnormally reserved rogue offered a half-hearted smile. "I started to think you wouldn't come," he commented.  
  
Ramirez flicked his eyes to the side. "...I thought it only proper to honor a last request."  
  
Vyse frowned, his brown eyes troubled, at that. "Can we talk about that?"  
  
"That is why I came," the silver-haired swordsman pointed out.  
  
"Ramirez," the Blue Rogue began, taking a step forward, "you told me that you don't want me to die. Trust me, I don't want to die either. Couldn't we try to work something out?"  
  
The Silvite shook his head slowly, the white strands of his hair brushing against his slender face.  
  
"But why not?" Vyse argued, taking another step forward. "I remember—Enrique mentioned that you're a tactical genius. It's got to be a cakewalk for you to think up a solution for this! I mean," and he painfully swallowed his pride, "look at what you did on the Delphinus, even though I was practically always with you! You had barely any resources, and look how well _that_ succeeded!"  
  
"Only because you're utterly _blind_," Ramirez muttered.  
  
The Blue Rogue flinched at that; that _was_ a sore spot for him. "I wanted to believe in you," he murmured by way of defense.  
  
They were both silent for several long, awkward moments, neither of them able to look properly at the other. They both knew they had made several mistakes in dealing with the other; they were both wondering if they were the one at fault.  
  
Finally, Ramirez sighed. "I...cannot release you."  
  
"Why not?" Vyse queried, glancing up. "You love me, right?"  
  
"...You already know the answer to that," the Silvite said in a low, angry voice, his furrowed eyes hard.  
  
"Well...that's what I'm saying, then!" the rogue said, frustrated, his cheeks pink. "How can you send someone you love to the executioner's block? Aren't I too important to you for you to allow that?"  
  
"Your attempts at emotional manipulation are ham-handed," Ramirez said coldly, although in reality they were sawing through his heartstrings.  
  
Again, Vyse flinched. "I wasn't trying to manipulate you," he protested guiltily; perhaps he was, a little. "And even if I were, you manipulated me, so fair's fair."  
  
"...Regardless," the Silvite murmured, eyes now reflecting his gloom, "I still cannot release you."  
  
"...Because of Galcian, right?" Vyse queried, although they both knew it was a statement in spite of the upward inflection. When Ramirez did not answer, the rogue pushed on, "Don't you think there's something wrong with that? I know Galcian's like a father to you, but nobody should have to make anyone kill their loved ones! _Or_ watch them die!"  
  
Ramirez slowly raised his left hand and covered half his face with it, grimacing sorrowfully. "I have made oaths, vows, to Lord Galcian," he stated softly. "I am certain I have told you this before..."  
  
"But still—"  
  
"You are not _listening_!" the white-haired young man snapped, shutting his eyelids in anger. "There is one way you can live, Vyse. Lord Galcian is impressed with your strength. If you were to swear allegiance to him and him alone—in other words, if you give up being an Air Pirate to join me in fighting for him—then he would have me spare your life. I discussed this with him earlier; it is the truth."  
  
"You've got to be kidding!" the brunet rogue protested angrily. "There's no way I'd ever work for Galcian—especially if it meant I'd have to give up the skies!"  
  
The Admiral nodded curtly. "In your own way, you have your own oaths—to your friends, to your family, to yourself," he said, equally curtly. "You just now said that you would not break them for me. Why should I do the same?"  
  
Vyse remained unhappily silent. Ramirez had an irrefutable point.  
  
The Silvite sighed again. "It's not that I _want_ to do this," he said, his misery creeping into his voice. "But I don't have any other choice."  
  
The brown-haired rogue still said nothing; he only watched Ramirez sadly.  
  
"I barely know you, too," the pale swordsman went on, "and I have been under Lord Galcian's service for several years. He has come through for me several times in several ways, like no one else ever has. I...depend upon him."  
  
"Yeah," Vyse said quietly. He offered a small quirk of a smile and added, "He's like your dad, huh..."  
  
Ramirez nodded once. "I don't have a proper family," he murmured. "Although...Lord Galcian and I are not equals—he is the teacher and I the student, and as such there is a line that cannot be crossed separating us—he is my only 'family'."  
  
"What about Fina?"  
  
The Silvite's eyes clouded as he furrowed his eyebrows, beginning to scowl. "I hate her."  
  
"What?" Vyse gaped, astonished. "Why? That's not what you told me before!"  
  
Ramirez looked at him witheringly.  
  
"Well..." the headstrong Air Pirate hesitated, "_still_!"  
  
The Admiral glowered at the steel floor. "Imagine this, Vyse," he said softly. "Imagine you and Aika are the only children on your birth island, that everyone else is an adult or an elder. Imagine that, all throughout your life, you were given books and tools and toy swords, whereas your female counterpart is given dolls and flowers, though fake since there are no natural flowers. No," he cut in when Vyse opened his mouth, "wait for it. Imagine that, while nothing is ever expected of Aika—as long as she is healthy and happy, that is fine for everyone else—_you_ are expected to study, train, become a sort of champion for the rest of your people...  
  
"You are never allowed any leeway to be what you want to be, and any deviance is punished without fail. It is made very clear throughout your life that your personal feelings are of no consequence, even as you watch all the adults fawn on your female friend, give her anything she could want without reserve or expectation—meanwhile, you are laden with expectations, and if you do not meet them, you are a disappointment, and informed of this unambiguously.  
  
"Now imagine that in spite of this unfair treatment, Aika dotes on you, always assuming that you are her equal, never noticing that you two are treated very unequally." Ramirez's eyes, which had become like unyielding shards of emerald, narrowed. "Imagine again that you two are separated for several years after you have been given a mission, and along with that mission, a great deal of information that severely damages your view on what and who you are, as well as your purpose in living. You two meet again, and she has been given the same mission, but the adults have decided to edit out of her briefing the information you were forced to accept immediately. She knows nothing of how you've suffered over and over while on this mission, and since time has still been frozen to her since the last time you saw each other, she acts as if everything is the same, barely noticing you have sustained scar after scar—scars that are nowhere to be found on her pretty white skin.  
  
"Wouldn't _you_ hate her, too?" Ramirez hissed, teeth grinding together, eyebrows twitching with poorly concealed resentment.  
  
His brown eyes sympathetic and moved, Vyse murmured, "Ramirez..."  
  
The Admiral glanced down and away. "...Perhaps I've said too much."  
  
"No... It makes sense, though," he added softly. "Back when we'd just defeated Gregorio on the Auriga, Fina sang for me, and later, you accused me of liking her better than you... It never used to make sense to me, and I'd always thought you'd been jealous of me and how close I was to her—but you were really jealous of _her_, weren't you?"  
  
The Silvite swordsman kept his face obscured by his hair.  
  
"Ramirez...hey...I've gotta know..." Vyse began. "Why...why are you in love with me? And for how long have you been...?"  
  
"Why? Ha..." The Admiral gave a hollow little laugh. "If I could tell you that, I would. As for how long? I'm not sure of that, either. I realized it that night I spent conversing with Arianne, but I was attracted to you before that, too, and for a long while, I thought I was simply mistaken. It was only recently that I realized..." He breathed a ragged sigh. "...that there can be no mistake."  
  
After a moment of ellipses, Ramirez glanced again at the bruise on Vyse's face. "I assume you received that when you tried to break out this morning," he commented.  
  
"Oh, this?" The rogue rubbed the sore mark gingerly. "Yeah. I get the feeling those guards would've beaten me up a lot more if they weren't afraid of what you'd do to them. They seem terrified of you, you know."  
  
"I don't suggest you try that again," the Silvite said without feeling, ignoring the comment. "I'm supposed to take you to Valua for formal execution, but Lord Galcian as much as said that I would not be punished if, while you were trying to escape, I killed you to prevent your flight."  
  
Vyse didn't speak for a moment; then, he said, "So, if I try to run, you'll kill me."  
  
Ramirez nodded.  
  
"And if I just sit here, then I'll be taken to Valua and get killed anyway."  
  
Ramirez nodded.  
  
"What about if Aika and the others come to save me?"  
  
"That's the same as if you attempt escape," Ramirez said dully, "except at least you won't die alone."  
  
The Blue Rogue smiled hopelessly and sat heavily down on his cot, pulling off his Skyseer Goggle to rub at his eyes, then fold his hands over them as he leaned his elbows on his knees and in turn rest his head on those folded hands.  
  
"What about when we're in the Grand Fortress?" he inquired quietly. "Any chance of me slipping off then and getting out somehow?"  
  
"You escaped from the Grand Fortress twice," Ramirez replied just as quietly. "Lord Galcian will never permit a third time."  
  
"You couldn't even happen to—"  
  
"I _can't_," the Silvite interrupted him tersely. "...I'm sorry. But I can't." He shut his eyes. "...Perhaps you could have managed something in the Grand Fortress; _perhaps_. But you shouldn't have said anything to me about it. Now I'm duty-bound to prevent it."  
  
There was a pause before Vyse raised his head and smiled wistfully, looking tired. "Oh, yeah," he said, "your _duty_."  
  
"Please don't say it like that," the Admiral quietly requested.  
  
"Can I ask you just one more thing?" the captain of the Delphinus inquired.  
  
The Silvite Admiral hesitated, then nodded.  
  
"Does anybody matter to you besides Galcian?" he questioned, gazing directly at the white-haired young man. "Anyone at _all_?"  
  
Ramirez started slightly, as if he'd been pricked by a pin, and he shut his eyes in pain. "It's unfair of you to ask that..." he murmured. "You know...how I feel about you."  
  
"It's just that..." the Blue Rogue frowned, his brown eyes now focused on some distant point, "it seems terrible to me that you'd give up love or even friendship for duty."  
  
"Why shouldn't I?" Ramirez said, still quietly, opening his eyes to peer at his feet. "Since you hate me."  
  
"...I went overboard yesterday," Vyse amended, though there wasn't much feeling in it. He ached inside terribly, knowing that his ex-friend, who claimed to love him, wouldn't so much as lift a finger to help him. The heavy reality of his situation was pressing down on him as well—he was trapped, and he himself had set the bait for it. Vyse could blame no one but himself for opening himself to Ramirez when even the Silvite said he shouldn't depend on him. The black beast called despair was crouching, eyeing the Blue Rogue, ready to pounce and feast on his weakened flesh... Vyse bit his lip unhappily and continued, "You're right, though. It'd be stupid for me to trust someone who's hurt me as much as you have again, and you can't have love _or_ friendship without trust."  
  
A knife of guilt stabbed the Silvite again as he weakly began, "I..."  
  
He didn't finish. The Air Pirate had lowered his face back onto his folded hands. Ramirez watched silently, anxiety scrabbling at the corners of his mind, for a moment; every once in a while, the once cheerful youth's shoulders shook as occasional sharp, shuddering gasps issued from his mouth. Though the Admiral knew exactly what his captive was doing, he didn't want to register or even recognize it. Ramirez knew the pain of betrayal too well to want to acknowledge it...he knew he wouldn't be able to do what had to be done if he did.  
  
When a drop of something slid swiftly across the young captain's left hand from under his eyes and leisurely dropped to the floor, though, the guilt-ridden Silvite finally ventured, "...Vyse?"  
  
"...even though I believed in you..." was the barely audible, whispered reply.  
  
Feeling like the scum of the world, Ramirez almost took a step forward, raising a hand as if to try to comfort Vyse, but he hesitated, and slowly let his hand and gaze fall. He had done this—he had been the one who had dragged Vyse down to his level. Their increased similarities had not made him any more satisfied than he had thought he would have been weeks earlier; rather, it made him miserable that the Blue Rogue's once sunny disposition, to which Ramirez had been attracted in the first place, had been reduced to this dismal shower of tears.  
  
Wordlessly, the silver-haired Admiral turned to the door and grasped the handle. He stiffened slightly as he heard his once-friend repeat something twice under his breath—surely not meaning to be heard, but being overheard anyway—and, fighting the urge to break down completely, Ramirez opened the door and shut it quietly behind him.  
  
The heavy, final sound of metal closing on metal, however subdued, was a discordant screech to Vyse, who was as naturally inclined to the open skies as a wild bird. His heart aching, he allowed himself to weep for several moments longer to relieve his building stress before he pulled himself together, wiping away his tears on his sleeve. The Blue Rogue took a few deep breaths to calm himself, and then, because after all his philosophy _was_ that 'impossible is a word people use to make themselves feel better about giving up', once again began to assess the situation.  
  
/_It looks grim,_/ he thought, his face set, /_and I don't know if I can get out of this alive... But at least it's only me captured, and not everyone, too. They'll come to help me for sure—I know it! I just have to worry about getting out of this ship. The problem is getting past those guards, getting my weapons and stuff, not getting caught by Ramirez, and finding where they keep the lifeboats..._/  
  
He didn't add the fact that all five Crystals were now in Galcian's possession to his list of worries. He had enough hurdles to cross at the moment.  
  
Vyse stood and once again looked around his cell, this time forcing himself to have a more positive mindset. The air duct was too small for him to crawl through, but he was practically an escape artist legend among the Valuans; if he could pry it off, then find someway to hide himself from sight, they might think he'd used that to run away and leave their posts. Then he could sneak out, find his weapons...  
  
The Air Pirate frowned worriedly at that. He had no idea where his weapons were. Maybe it would be better under the circumstances to give up on them; he could buy new weapons, armor and equipment, after all, but he couldn't buy a second chance at life. If he found them while searching for the lifeboats, then great, but if he didn't see them, then he'd just leave them, he reasoned.  
  
Encouraged and not nearly as upset as he had been just before Ramirez left, Vyse continued to make his plans. He couldn't rely on his former friend for anything, much less to have a change of heart and decide to help him get away, so he had to do this on his own. It was a lesson bitterly learned, but one he wouldn't soon forget. And so what if he said he'd kill him if he tried to escape? The captain of the Delphinus was a goner either way, so at least he could take a risk and make a break for it. The worst that would happen was the same thing that would happen if he obediently stayed here, anyway, and the best was that he'd get out of here alive and return to Crescent Isle and Aika and the others in one piece. That, in Vyse's opinion, was worth risking his life.  
  
  
  
The tortured Silvite was not faring nearly as well as the Blue Rogue emotionally. Barely able to keep up a decent front for his underlings, he agonized about what needed to be done and what should be done.  
  
/_Killing Vyse or letting him die... Is it really the right thing to do?_/ he asked himself repeatedly. /_What Lord Galcian is doing is supposed to balance the evils of this world...but Vyse is not evil. Aside from opposing Lord Galcian and the Valuan Empire, he has done nothing wrong. Indeed, in his mind, Lord Galcian must be the same as the Valuan Empire; Vyse knows nothing of his true plans, after all. And the Valuan Empire is undeniably, disgustingly corrupt; the fact that he opposes it speaks _well_ of Vyse's character... Why, then, should he be made to suffer so much?_/  
  
Although he had begun to become set in his decision that Vyse would die despite that he had no desire to see him killed, Ramirez's choice had been heavily upset by the two things Vyse had whispered to himself while weeping in despair: "_I don't want to die... I don't want to die._"  
  
Those words followed Ramirez throughout the rest of the day, until late at night, when the Monoceros had set anchor and everyone was sleeping or about to go to sleep. Rather than resting, which he wasn't likely to have been able to do even under ideal conditions, he paced nervously, contemplating everything up until then. The strategic genius had dissected what he knew of Vyse, of the Grand Admiral, of the people of Arcadia, of his experiences both old and recent, and the conclusion that he was beginning to form was nothing short of blasphemy.  
  
/_Is it possible that Lord Galcian...is mistaken?_/ he wondered, his brow creased./_It can't be... I have been shown again and again through personal experience that humans are disgusting creatures, unworthy of pity or mercy... But still, Vyse is... And the people around Vyse, too... Yet I _cannot_ betray Lord Galcian,_/ the Silvite added helplessly. /_He has done so much for me... If I were to turn my back on him for mere personal desires, then I would have no right to continue to live..._/  
  
He hesitated suddenly, and let his gaze fall to his hip, on the silver sword he'd wielded since childhood. He had sworn to lay down his sword and his life for Lord Galcian, in precisely those words... Ramirez furrowed his brows slightly and averted his jaded eyes from Ilazki.  
  
"Perhaps," he murmured to himself, distressed. He didn't want Vyse to die, and he didn't want to fail Lord Galcian. It was the only solution he could see that would allow him to spare the one he loved _and_ stay true to the one he served.  
  
Was that what it came down to, though? Was he really so out of options that he would resort to something that desperate...? He was supposed to be strong, yet he was fully willing to do something like that...  
  
He glanced out a window at the star-strewn night sky, and after a few moments of effort, picked out the Fallen Angel, Vyse's favorite constellation. Looking upon it reminded him of that night when the two of them had stargazed together, along with their conversations... He had shed tears that night, he recalled. Not many—just a few—but tears were tears. Thinking too long of his surrogate mother tended to do that to him... The lonesome Silvite sighed mournfully. He was not emotional often, tending to keep them well under wrap, but when they slipped out, they were often violent, powerful, sometimes threatening to overtake him...  
  
He wondered if he wasn't letting his unhappiness triumph over him.  
  
He then wondered if he cared, or indeed if it mattered.  
  
The Silvite Admiral again recalled that night under the stars with Vyse, and something occurred to him. It had been that night when he had thought he had conquered his chaotic feelings for the dashing rogue, though in reality it had simply grown stronger than him, and in his foolishness, he had thought to himself that he had defeated himself.  
  
The young man laughed. It was a laugh that would make small children weep, and he laughed it softly and for a long time, shedding a nihilistic, melancholy smile like pale moonlight. Oh, yes. He certainly _had_ defeated himself...fatally so.  
  
It wasn't something he wanted to do, but he hated all of his present options as powerfully as he currently hated himself. This conclusion was the best he could manage.  
  
Soon, it would all end. His conflict, his loyalty, his love...everything.  
  
  
  
At four in the morning, when the sky was an endless cloak of darkness illuminated by the stars and the Moons, the entire Monoceros was still but for one man. Ramirez, who carried with him his sword as well as Vyse's things, walked purposefully first to the area where the lifeboats were kept, in one of which he carefully placed the Blue Rogue's possessions, and then to the high security cell where Vyse was kept. Four guards were keeping watch even now, though they were of course not the same men as before.  
  
It was easy to get rid of them for Ramirez. He merely told them he needed to check on the prisoner, and while he did so, all four were to head back to the ship barracks and send in their replacements. When the replacements came, he said, he would be finished and the door would be locked, so they needed only stand guard.  
  
Ramirez's underlings did not question him; it sounded reasonable enough to _them_, and even though it was odd that the captain of the Monoceros would come himself, well, it was reasonable that if he was checking on the prisoner, he'd kill two birds with one stone and have them change things. They were tired, anyway, and they were glad to receive these orders. And so, the Silvite Admiral was free to enter the cell without witness.  
  
Vyse was not inside—or so first glance told him. The grate to the air duct had been forced off, and the covers to the cot were conveniently placed so that they hid whatever might be under it. After briefly checking that the Blue Rogue was not behind the steel door, Ramirez walked over to the cot, and with the tip of his sheathed sword, lifted the sheets.  
  
The Air Pirate stared up at Ramirez with the look of a fox that has been caught sneaking meat from a storehouse.  
  
"You were planning on escaping," the white-haired young man stated.  
  
"Errr..." went Vyse. He could hardly deny it, after all, when it was so obvious.  
  
"Even though I told you if you were caught, I would have to kill you?"  
  
The captain of the Delphinus crawled out from under the cot and stood, shrugging slightly. "If I'm going to die anyway, I have to bet on the one percent chance that I can break out of this ship alive," he replied with a small smile.  
  
The Silvite youth returned the smile, and it worried Vyse how heartrendingly lonely it was. "Fortunately, you no longer need to worry about it." He turned to the doorway and began to walk. "Come with me, quickly."  
  
The Air Pirate didn't move; he just stared at the Admiral. "What's going on?"  
  
Ramirez stopped, keeping his back to the one he loved. "...I'm letting you go."  
  
Vyse's reaction was expected: "......What?"  
  
"Hurry up," the Admiral urged. "I sent the guards away, but the relief will be coming shortly to replace them. You have to be out of here before they arrive."  
  
Fully expecting a trap of some kind but not knowing what else he could do, Vyse obeyed and followed Ramirez out, the only pause being when his silver-haired companion shut and locked the door behind them.  
  
After they were several hallways away, the brunet warily spoke again. "Ramirez, what are you trying to pull?"  
  
The jade-eyed Silvite sighed. "I'm letting you go," he repeated himself. "Or do you want to stay?"  
  
"No, but..." Vyse protested, still apprehensive. "What brings this on?"  
  
"What does it matter?" the captain of the Monoceros replied unemotionally.  
  
The Blue Rogue narrowed his brown eyes. "It matters a lot," he argued. "You nearly killed me, kidnapped me, kissed me, and told me you couldn't release me when I tried to cut a deal with you. Now I want to know why you're letting me go free all of a sudden."  
  
Ramirez was silent for a moment as he continued to lead the handsome rogue through his flagship; Vyse had the impression that he was trying to decide on his words. "I thought about many things for a long time," he said finally, "and after a while, I managed to think of a way to let you go and not break my vows to Lord Galcian."  
  
"Yeah?" Vyse said interestedly, though half the interest was borne from his misgivings. "How?"  
  
"You will be free," Ramirez said simply. "That is the only part you need to know."  
  
The Blue Rogue frowned deeply as he eyed the Admiral exasperatedly. "Ramirez, are you aware of how much you contradict yourself?"  
  
The uniformed Silvite ignored the slight. It wouldn't matter how he was insulted in a short while, after all.  
  
"This all is pretty hard to swallow," Vyse continued, "after what you pulled. I have no reason to trust you—not anymore."  
  
Ramirez flinched slightly, but thought, /_It's as much as I deserve..._/  
  
"How do I know this isn't a trap?" he inquired when he received no reply.  
  
"What would be the point of a trap when I could simply draw my sword and bury its point in your chest?" the Admiral inquired morosely.  
  
After several seconds of silence. Vyse swallowed, hesitated, then began, "Uh, by the way, about my equipment..."  
  
Ramirez led him down a staircase, and with his eyes cast downward, the Silvite replied, "I already put your things in a lifeboat. We're almost there, by the way. The boat you're to take will have one of the doors opened partially. I placed your cutlasses and other things under the front-most left-side seat."  
  
Furrowing his brow, his misgivings growing the more and more he got the feeling that something was amiss, the captain of the Delphinus queried charily, "You said that you sent the guards outside my cell away before you got me... Does your crew know you're doing this?"  
  
"No."  
  
The Blue Rogue fell silent, wondering what in the Moons was the other part of Ramirez's plan. He didn't see anything special in the circumstances into which he was being lead; how was what Ramirez was doing this going to make sure that he didn't break his vows to Galcian?  
  
After a moment, Ramirez halted and pointed down the corridor they were in at a hallway branching to the right. "Keep going down here and take that right down there," he instructed his companion. "It leads to a staircase; take that straight down. There will be a doorway, and past it will be the lifeboats. Yours is the one almost in front of you, to your left." He stepped back to allow Vyse to pass. "Now go. If you head southwest, you should be able to reach Sailor's Isle."  
  
Confused and still feeling that something was not quite right, Vyse hesitated, then said the first thing on his mind. "What's going to happen to you?"  
  
Ramirez glanced away, his eyes empty. "...Does it matter? I'm a traitor."  
  
Apprehension gnawing voraciously at the Blue Rogue's senses, he murmured, "...Yes, but..."  
  
The Admiral shut those hopeless eyes. "You should leave. If you dawdle, I can't guarantee that you won't be seen."  
  
Vyse stood poised between staying and fleeing for a few brief seconds, nodded, hesitated again, and then ran to where Ramirez had indicated. The silver-haired Admiral watched him go, listening to his rapid footsteps sink down into a lower level of the Monoceros and fade away.  
  
With a wistful smile, not surprised that he had not received so much as a word of gratitude but wounded by it nonetheless, the Silvite wandered to the wall to his right and leaned his back against it heavily.  
  
"......Why?" he whispered, turning his pain-filled emerald eyes to the cold gray ceiling. "If this is the right thing to do, why does it still hurt so much? Is there any way I could have avoided this suffering? Is this my divine punishment for falling in love with Vyse...?" Ramirez drew Ilazki from its sheath, its emergence not heralded by as much as a whisper of metal on metal. He held the blade aloft, its silvery surface glinting from the artificial lights, and the reflection of his eyes flickered with melancholy.  
  
"But soon," he murmured, gazing at himself on the deadly blade, "it won't matter. Nothing will matter anymore. All that I've endured throughout my life will soon end..." His throat tightened involuntarily as he drew the sword to his neck, and Ramirez shut his eyes tightly to stave off the tears that fought to burst free. "I don't want to feel anything anymore......"  
  
/_Lord Galcian..._/ he thought miserably. /_I didn't leave behind even a letter explaining myself. All you will have are my pathetic remains, and the final piece to unlocking the power of Soltis and Zelos. I know I cannot be forgiven, but please allow me to beg for your forgiveness regardless..._/  
  
He wavered. Though he knew he was a self-centered traitor, Ramirez still feared the oblivion of death, and could not slice his own neck as he had intended right away. It struck him idly that even in death, he would continue to favor Galcian over Vyse, and appropriately so; he had, after all, sworn to lay down his sword and life for the Grand Admiral. And that was he was going to do...for eternity.  
  
At least in slaying himself, Ramirez thought morosely, he would be of some use to the Grand Admiral, even as broken as he was now...  
  
/_Vyse..._/ he mentally murmured, steeling himself. /_Even though I've spared your life now, with Lord Galcian soon to be in control of Soltis and the Silver Gigas, there is no way you will be able to see your next birthday. I am sorry... You are right not to trust me..._/  
  
Shutting his eyes tightly, he began to tip the edge of Ilazki forward.  
  
A moment before, Vyse had reached the doorway leading to the lifeboats—to his freedom—but though the miniature iron ships waited patiently for him in a neat line, he didn't pick out the vessel Ramirez had prepared. He didn't pick out any vessel at all. He simply stood where he was, peering at the floor with a troubled expression. His former friend's behavior had been nothing short of peculiar, and although perhaps the rogue would have been better off wondering if Ramirez was leading him into a trap, he was instead worrying about the pale swordsman. He had seemed so...desolate. Vyse also knew that Ramirez was a tactical genius, but he couldn't understand how doing this was supposed to not betray Galcian, as he'd said it would.  
  
/_There's something not right about this,_/ he insisted to himself, on the verge of running back to where the Admiral was, just to make sure everything was all right. /_I should go back... He as much as told me not to come back, though..._/  
  
He hesitated, not wanting to return without a reason to offer to the Silvite. With a sudden smile, he thought, /_Wait, but I never thanked him! Even if he has a plan, he must be risking a lot to let me go like this. Even though he betrayed me, he didn't _have_ to do that. I should at least show some gratitude!_/  
  
Glad to have an excuse both to confirm what was happening and to see Ramirez one last time, Vyse sprinted back, jumping up the stairs two at a time, hoping there weren't any soldiers to hear the clinking of his boots on the metal floors. It occurred to him that if Ramirez had left the area, he was almost certainly out of luck, because he didn't know how to navigate through the Monoceros, and if he got lost, then he would have thrown away his chance. That took the backseat, though, as he rounded the corner and saw the Admiral leaning against the wall down the hallway, holding his sword to his neck.  
  
"RAMIREZ!!" Vyse screamed, launching himself forward, the Silvite's so-called plan all of a sudden becoming clear. The green-eyed swordsman stared at him in surprise, thankfully frozen long enough for Vyse to reach him and wrench his hands away from his body.  
  
"Vy...se..." he whispered, wide-eyed, his fist still tightly closed around Ilazki's handle, though the Blue Rogue held it firmly away from his neck.  
  
"Why?!" the deeply upset rogue demanded. "Why were you trying to kill yourself?!"  
  
Ramirez blinked rapidly, then murmured, "Why shouldn't I?"  
  
"It doesn't solve anything!!" Vyse yelled.  
  
"On the contrary," the Silvite rebutted with an empty smile. "It solves everything. Lord Galcian has no use for traitors, and by releasing you, that is what I've become. However, if I die, I can at least perform one last service for him. By sacrificing myself for him, I will have properly protected my oaths."  
  
Vyse shook his head in disbelief. "Don't do this," he urged desperately.  
  
"Why not?" Ramirez inquired impassively. "I am a traitor. I've betrayed you. I've betrayed Lord Galcian. I am undeserving of the trust of the two men for whom I care. I have no reason to continue to live."  
  
"You can't be serious," Vyse croaked. "There's gotta be something else you can live for..."  
  
"There isn't," the young Admiral replied. "I have nothing and no one aside from Lord Galcian and what he has given me. Losing his trust means losing everything." He tried to shake the Blue Rogue away, but failed. "I'll be executed in your place, anyway; soon Lord Galcian will unfurl his plans, and he has no use for those who are not unwaveringly loyal to him. At least this way, I can die on my own terms."  
  
"How could he execute you in my place?!" Vyse cried, horrified by how blasé his ex-friend was. "Aren't you overreacting, to try to kill yourself over this?!"  
  
"It's not your concern anymore," the silver-haired young man argued without emotion. "If I die, you won't have to fight against me. That will be good for you, right?"  
  
"Don't TALK like that!!" the Blue Rogue nearly screamed. "Suicide is never a good solution! I _know_ there's another way!"  
  
Vyse's eternal optimism slicing deeper into Ramirez's heart than any barb, he snapped, struggling again, "What is this other way of yours, then?! You can't answer, can you! There _is_ no other way!!"  
  
The Air Pirate scuffled with the Admiral for a moment, Ilazki glittering dangerously above them. "There _is_ another way!" he stated firmly as they fought. It was a way about which he was highly reluctant, but he couldn't leave Ramirez to get executed, and he couldn't let him kill himself. The solution, then, was clear, and managing to force Ramirez's wrists against the wall, he looked the Admiral in the face and said quietly, "You can come with me."  
  
The Admiral's eyebrows rose as his lips parted in shock; then his expression changed to one of hurt, and he glanced away. "You must be joking."  
  
"I wouldn't joke about something like this," Vyse assured him, his face set with determination. "Come with me. Please."  
  
"But..." Ramirez began to weakly protest, "I betrayed you... You're just asking me so my suicide won't weigh on your conscience, aren't you?"  
  
The Blue Rogue was silent for a few seconds before he quietly replied, "...I can't stand suicide. I can't believe that people will just give up when things look bad." Ramirez relaxed slightly, and Vyse stepped back to allow him some room as he continued, "...Besides, you were once my friend. And I still owe you for saving my life in Glacia."  
  
"I almost killed you a few days ago," Ramirez murmured.  
  
"But you didn't, and even though you kidnapped me, now you're letting me go," the brown-eyed rogue said firmly. "I still owe you."  
  
The Admiral shook his head vehemently. "How far could you travel with me?" he demanded. "You intend to return to Crescent Isle, don't you? Do you really think I could return with you to there?"  
  
"It'll be all right!" the Blue Rogue insisted. "Look, if you won't come with me, then I'm going to stand right here until you change your mind, and if your men find us, then you're going to have a hell of a lot of explaining to do!"  
  
"If my men find us, I'll be forced to kill you," the Admiral snapped. "Don't be foolish! Get _out_ of here!"  
  
"Not without you!"  
  
"I'm not _worth_ anything to you!! I betrayed you!"  
  
"I don't care! I won't let you kill yourself!"  
  
There were several tense seconds of silence as the two men glared at each other. "You're just not going to listen to reason, are you?" the white-haired swordsman said angrily.  
  
"_Reason!_" Vyse repeated incredulously. "So says the man who thinks committing suicide will make it all better!"  
  
Ramirez sighed, irritated, and said quietly, attempting to calm down, "I don't. Have. _Anything_. Even if I were not executed, I would lose all of Lord Galcian's favor, and you yourself told me you hated me."  
  
The Air Pirate regarded the Silvite reflectively. "Do you want me to say I forgive you?" he queried softly. "If so, then fine. I forgive you. So please..." He stepped in closer, still holding Ramirez's left wrist, and rested his left hand on the Silvite's shoulder. "...come with me."  
  
A look of panic flitted across the Admiral's face as his cheeks turned red, and he froze for a split-second before panic was shoved aside by fury. "It's dirty to manipulate other people's feelings!" Ramirez snarled, pushing away.  
  
Vyse was not swayed. "If I'm dirty," he said seriously, still holding onto the Silvite's wrist, "then so are you."  
  
That silenced the white-haired swordsman effectively. _You _know_ deep down inside that you're just as dirty as the Arcadians you despise. What's wrong with getting dirtier, then?_—so the King of Diamonds had told him in his dream. But...  
  
"I don't want to be dirty," he whispered, breaking down in spite of his continued protests. "I don't want to be the same as you..."  
  
Yet he knew he was already tainted. He was in love with another man, wasn't he? And a would-be hated enemy, no less. That was unclean in itself, Ramirez knew...  
  
"Ramirez," Vyse said softly. "Despite what you might say, you're still human. No human is perfect, and nobody's better than everyone else. And...you shouldn't feel ashamed of how you feel, either. I might not love you back, but still, I'm not a judge of your emotions. No one is. Whatever you feel is right for you."  
  
/_Stop _talking_ like that!!_/ the torn Silvite thought fiercely. /_Don't you know you're killing me with hope?!_/  
  
But it was precisely because of hope, with her talon-like claws and poisoned kiss and the sneaking of her thorny tendrils around his neck with a mocking laugh, that his will was buckling and his desire to live was once again surging.  
  
"Please," Vyse repeated, pleading. "Come with me."  
  
"I..." Ramirez said faintly. He still held Ilazki loosely in his free right hand, and as he gazed up into the Air Pirate's concerned face, he entertained a brief thought of slaying him then and there, with Galcian never being the wiser of his wavering... But the thought faded as quickly as it had come, struck down both by Ramirez's love for Vyse and his knowledge that even if the Grand Admiral never knew, _he_ would. And so, he slowly returned the silver blade to its jagged sheath.  
  
"All right," he submitted wearily.  
  
The Blue Rogue's smile shone, and the sound of their footsteps the only herald of their departure, the two made their way to the lifeboats and flew from the iron womb of the Monoceros.**  
  
  
**

* * *

  


**  
NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal Arcadia_ [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong.**  
  
Ayu:** In many 26-episode anime, from typically episode 14 on, all hell starts breaking loose. Isn't it appropriate that _TDtMS_, with a projected 26 chapters, fits that as well? ^^;  
  
**Ianthe:** If you saw this coming, your name is probably Kanzaki Hitomi. And put those tarot cards away, missy, you're only going to land yourself in a lot of pain and misfortune.  
**Ayu:** Speaking of the tarot, the playing card/tarot card match-up last episode, yes, was done on purpose. Not too difficult, seeing as current card decks are derived from tarot card decks...just minus the Major Arcana.  
  
**Ianthe:** Huzzah for Lloyd Alexander. If you catch the reference, you have my undying love.  
**Ayu:** Thanks to Siren-chan for the hope imagery, by the same token, incidentally. Not that it's really something for which I should be thanking you...  
  
**Kinzoku:** If any of you want to give them crap about Ramirez trying to kill himself, I remind you that he did commit suicide in the name of Galcian in the game.  
**Ayu:** Gave up his Silver Crystal, and thus his life, to give Zelos free reign over its actions, all to avenge Galcian's death. (*sagenods*)  
  
**Ayu:** This one was a little over 34 pages... I fear I've created a new chapter length standard for myself... In the past, if chapters got this long, we'd break them in half—that's what we did with the Yafutoma stories... But this is _really_ a new record. Ianthe wrote some, but most of it was me, and I wrote this in _one_ week. My. o_o;  
  
**Ayu:** We finally have fanart! Yaay! Kinzoku drew it for us, saying, "I figured if you two can spend so much time on making a quality fanfic, I can spend a couple hours on fanart to show my appreciation. So yeah... it's in COLOR. Feel speshul." And we do. Thank you, Kinny! Here's the URL: members.lycos.co.uk/stonefurwolf/ramivyse.jpg There's also an adorable piece of fanart from Eeveelover, which can be found here:e, _Campus Lyrics!_, the link to which you can (indirectly) find below.  
  
**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com**  
Contact Ianthe of d.I:** ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))  
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net))


	15. Chapter 15: Soshite Tabi ha Hajimaru Kim...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  
**Chapter 15:** Soshite Tabi ha Hajimaru Kimi to Futari Dokoka he  
(_And Then the Journey Begins to Somewhere Together With You_)

  
By the time Vyse and Ramirez were but a speck on the horizon and gone, the Delphinus had found and engaged the Monoceros. The battleships raged against each other, but the Valuan flagship, missing its captain and in a frantic frenzy attempting to find him, soon found itself at a severe disadvantage and, since Ramirez was not around to tell them otherwise, the crew chose to surrender in return for their safety. Aika of course agreed, being a Blue Rogue and thus disinclined to hurt others unnecessarily, on the condition that Vyse was returned to them immediately.  
  
There, the problem cropped up.  
  
"Sir, we _can't_ return the Air Pirate," one of the guards, removed from his post to search for their captain, said desperately to Lucreze. "He's not _here_. He escaped from his cell somehow since earlier this morning, when Lord Ramirez came to check on him!"  
  
"If Admiral Ramirez _and_ the prisoner are missing..." Lucreze muttered, sweating underneath his helmet, "then what are we supposed to tell the other Air Pirates?" He shook his head. "No, His Highness Prince Enrique should be among them. Brainwashed or not, he wouldn't allow the slaughter of surrendered Valuans." With a heavy sigh, the vice-captain said, "We have no choice. We'll have to tell them he isn't in our possession any longer."  
  
The message was relayed, and it of course sounded awfully suspicious to Aika.  
  
"Not in your possession?" she repeated back to them over the ship radio, frowning. "Where the heck _is_ he, then?"  
  
There was a pause as the message looped around the bridge of the Monoceros and a reply returned. "We don't know."  
  
"_Where_ is Ramirez?" she queried fiercely, almost slamming her hands against the panel. "I should be getting my answers from that back-stabbing bastard, not from some underling of his! Put Ramirez on the line right now!!"  
  
"Sir, the Air Pirate—she wishes to speak with Lord Ramirez," the soldier on the communicator told Lucreze, alarmed. "What do we do?"  
  
"No choice," the vice-captain said grimly as he walked purposefully over to the soldier's seat. "I'll speak with her myself." He traded places and, clearing his throat, announced to Aika, "I am Lucreze, the Vice-Captain of the Monoceros. Admiral Ramirez is not here, so I will have to negotiate with you in his place."  
  
"Not _there_?" Aika said disbelievingly. "So Vyse _and_ Ramirez are both _conveniently_ missing," she went on, her tone switching to sarcasm. "Do you _really_ expect us to believe that?"  
  
"If you don't believe me," came the stiff reply, "then feel free to board and search this ship yourselves. Do you think we would have lost to you so easily if Admiral Ramirez _hadn't_ been missing?"  
  
There was a small noise of alarm from Lucreze, and his side went silent; apparently, he had said something that he thought he oughtn't have said.  
  
"Missing?" the orange-haired pirate girl said back, her eyebrows furrowed, to Enrique, Gilder and Fina, all standing a short distance away. "Where would he _go_?"  
  
Glancing at the men in bewilderment, Fina inquired, "Do you think it might have some connection with Vyse's absence?"  
  
"It's plausible," Enrique frowned, holding a hand to his chin. "But the problem with that is—why? And how? I hate to say this, but Vyse certainly isn't a match for Ramirez in combat..."  
  
"He might not have fought him," Gilder interceded. "He could have lucked out and knocked him out, like he did when he first brought Ramirez aboard the Delphinus."  
  
"Hmmm..." Enrique murmured. "It's a possibility. I certainly wouldn't put it past Vyse... That still doesn't answer where Ramirez is, though."  
  
"Well, this all could be a trick," Aika interjected. "Maybe Ramirez _is_ there, and he's trying to trick us into close-range combat. Even if we have the advantage in the air, if we're fighting face-to-face... We don't have any _proof_ that they're telling the truth. We could be walking right into danger if we do like that Lucreze guy says."  
  
The red-jacketed Air Pirate nodded thoughtfully. "But if we _don't_ take him up on his offer, we'll never know," he pointed out. Drawing his gun and grinning, he winked and added, "Better to regret something you _did_ do than something you didn't, eh?"  
  
The substitute captain grinned. "You've got a point!" she said cheerfully. "Can't rescue Vyse if we're not willing to take a few risks!" She turned back to the communicator and declared, "We'll take you up on your offer, Lucreze. We'll board the Monoceros right away, so in the meantime, have all your men put down their weapons, and nobody will get hurt!"  
  
"Understood."  
  
The other side shut off, and without wasting a second, Aika headed up to deck, the others following closely after. They were glad to see it wasn't a trap after all, but they weren't so glad to see that Lucreze had been so fully honest with them. A couple of hours later, when none of them had found any traces of Ramirez _or_ Vyse on the ship, not even in Ramirez's quarters or in Vyse's cell, and the only mark of anyone's departure was a single missing lifeboat, they reconvened on the deck of the Monoceros with the vice-captain.  
  
"Vyse must've taken a lifeboat and split, but that doesn't explain where Ramirez is," the redheaded girl declared to Lucreze, thoroughly vexed by the fruitlessness of their search. "There must have been some clues—something he said, something suspicious about his behavior! Can't you tell us _anything_?"  
  
"I'm really not obliged to tell you anything about that," the Vice-Captain pointed out. "In addition, if either Lord Galcian or Admiral Ramirez found out about it, my life would become significantly worse, assuming I managed to keep it. It's bad enough that I made the decision to surrender to you in the first place." He shrugged. "Besides, Admiral Ramirez is a very private man. If something had been amiss or bothering him, he would not and did not show it."  
  
"Aika, let's get going," Gilder said, turning to the younger girl. "No point in trying to question this guy any more."  
  
Enrique nodded in agreement. "If Vyse really did take that lifeboat, he can't be too far away," he added. "We should be able to overtake him easily in the Delphinus."  
  
Looking thoughtful, the captain of the Claudia interrupted, "Actually... Nah, I'll tell you later, in better company," he finished when all eyes turned to him. "For right now, let's get out of here."  
  
The three others nodded, and with but a glance at the vice-captain of the Monoceros, they boarded the Delphinus and began to move away.  
  
"So what was it you wanted to say, Gilder?" Aika queried once they'd set sail.  
  
"I'd just been thinking," the dirty-blond pirate said, contemplating the unlit cigar in his hand. "If we fly around looking for Vyse, what's to say all number of Valuan ships won't try to follow us and get him first? The Monoceros might be too damaged to do any of that, but that doesn't stop them from sending a report to any ships in the area. And if they find Vyse first..."  
  
"So what should we do instead?" Fina inquired, hands clasped worriedly over her chest. "We've got to save Vyse somehow..."  
  
Gilder shook his head. "Vyse is a big boy," he assured the young Silvite lady. "If he could escape right under Ramirez's nose all by himself, he can get back to Crescent Isle by himself, too. It might be better if we carry about our business and draw Valua's attention away from whatever he's trying to do. They're going to figure we're searching for him, after all, right? So if we go _away_ from where we think he is..."  
  
"...then they won't find him either, right?" Aika finished thoughtfully. "I don't know. Do you really think it'll be all right, Gilder?"  
  
"We've got to make Vyse proud, right?" the older pirate winked, grinning. "Besides, I've got some tasty information that can't wait, now that we know he's out of the Armada's hands." He glanced out the windows at the endless blue spreading before him and continued, "There's this information I got the other day—it appears Valua has begun advancing into the lower altitudes... I heard that north of Pirate Isle, somewhere beneath the clouds, they're building a base on Dangral Island. It's just a rumor, but I heard that they're building a ship that can go into Deep Sky..."  
  
"Deep Sky?!" Aika repeated with a gasp.  
  
"Yes," the shades-wearing Blue Rogue nodded. "Beneath the thick layer of clouds, immersed in total darkness, there is a 'bottom' of the world. No one has ever seen what's below the clouds..." he added pensively. "Some people say that it's completely dead..."  
  
"What does the Armada want that's in Deep Sky, though?" Enrique murmured.  
  
Gilder shrugged, but the redheaded girl looked thoughtful. "Fina," she said, "when Alfonso attacked and captured you, your ship sank beneath the clouds, right?"  
  
"Yes," the Silvite girl nodded, looking amazed at this revelation. "The Silver Crystal! Ramirez must have told Galcian that it's located on the Great Silver Shrine!"  
  
"So Valua's aiming to find Fina's ship to get the last Crystal," the blond Prince concluded grimly. "We can't let that happen!"  
  
"That's right," Gilder agreed. "Vyse will be all right on his own. The best thing we can do is to distract Valua from him."  
  
Aika folded her arms and nodded, smiling. "You'll be coming with us, right, Gilder?"  
  
"You have to ask?" the savvy pirate grinned back. "I've already come this far. Might as well stick around for the rest of the ride!"  
  
Smirking, Aika winked, "That is, until Clara shows up, right?"  
  
Gilder made a face. "Don't jinx it, you."  
  
The pirate girl laughed along with Enrique and Fina, then turned to Lawrence, the helmsman. "Well, you heard the man!" she said cheerfully. "Set course for Dangral Island in lower sky, near Pirate Isle!"  
  
The hired helmsman complied with a single quiet, "Aye-aye," and immediately the Delphinus began to sink. As they traveled, the Prince happened to glance at the Silvite, and her anxious expression piqued his concern.  
  
"Fina, is something the matter?" he queried, turning to her.  
  
"Eh?" she uttered, giving him a surprised glance. "Oh..." She dropped her gaze. "I was just thinking about Vyse and Ramirez..." Looking worried, she faced Aika, Gilder and Enrique, who were all watching her now, and said, "Do you think it's possible that...that they left the Monoceros on the same lifeboat?"  
  
"On the—Fina," Aika said, startled, "do you realize what you're saying?"  
  
"Well..." she murmured, bowing her head again, "I know it's unlikely, but..."  
  
"I can't even imagine the circumstances that would lead up to that," Enrique input. "But it _is_ a possibility."  
  
Lighting his cigar and taking a drag as he returned a silver lighter to his pocket, Gilder said, "Another possibility's that Vyse somehow pitched Ramirez over the side of the boat before escaping."  
  
"You mean—Ramirez might be dead?" Fina cried, taking a step forward.  
  
The red-coated Blue Rogue shrugged. "It's just as likely as Ramirez being on that lifeboat with Vyse, I'd say."  
  
"Hmph," Aika muttered, arms akimbo. "Good riddance to him, if he _is_ dead. We'll have to get Vyse to tell us what happened when we meet up with him."  
  
The veiled girl glanced away at her friend's comment on the older Silvite. "..."  
  
Noticing, Enrique said gently, "You still think of him as your childhood friend, don't you, Fina?"  
  
"I—" the Silvite girl blurted out, looking over at him. She lowered her verdure eyes and murmured, "I need to know...what changed him so much from the Ramirez I used to know. What happened to make him so bitter and hateful...to force him to go so far as to say he hates me."  
  
"Fina..." Aika said softly, her hands at her sides. She took a step forward and, resting a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder, said, "Fina, I'm sorry. But even if you know why he's such a bastard now, that won't change anything. He's not the person he used to be. If he'll go back to Galcian even after Vyse offered him so much, he'll probably never be the person he used to be. You've got to accept that."  
  
She shook her head, shaking her pale blonde bangs. "If only..." she said wistfully, "if only I could talk to him... If I had understood what he had gone through, maybe all of this could have been avoided..."  
  
Aika glanced helplessly at Enrique and Gilder, but they both only shook their heads. The scarecrow-haired rogue turned back to the Silvite girl and said comfortingly, "No use in regrets, right? For right now, let's just face forward."  
  
Fina hesitated, but nodded.  
On an iron lifeboat fitted for twelve headed for Sailor's Isle, at the highest altitude possible, were just two men. Those two men sat wordlessly opposite each other, neither needing to steer their small vessel; it had autopilot, after all.  
  
It had been hours since anyone had said anything, except for when Vyse cast Sacri on his bruise, and the Blue Rogue was wondering if he should break the silence. Ramirez had his sword on the seats next to him and was gazing at his knees. Vyse alternated between doing the same and glancing at his companion; there were a lot of things that needed to be said, but he had no idea what to say...  
  
Finally, unable to stand the quiet any longer and desperate to hear _anything_, the Blue Rogue seized upon the first thing that came to mind and said, "Hey...last night sure was rough, huh? I mean, I don't know about you, but I didn't get a wink of sleep. Between thinking up an escape plan, trying to..."  
  
Ramirez tuned out the Air Pirate's words, his jade-green eyes staring but unfocused. He didn't want to converse with anyone; he didn't even want to be here. Vyse was only suffering his company to keep him from doing anything rash, the former Admiral knew; even if they tried to pretend for the sake of keeping things civil while they had to stay together, things could never return to the way it was. The pale swordsman reflected that the time they had been spent together before had been a lie, anyway; friendship was an impossibility to one such as he. There was no place anywhere, in any form, for a traitor. All that he suffered, he surely deserved...though he couldn't help but want to escape that suffering.  
  
"...and...and..." Vyse, finally noticing Ramirez's dead expression, leaned in towards him. "...Are you listening to me?"  
  
The white-haired swordsman didn't react in the slightest.  
  
"Ramirez? Hello?" he repeated, his concern growing as he reached forward and touched his companion's shoulder. "Ramirez?"  
  
The Silvite jolted upright in surprise, eyes wide open. "Hmm?"  
  
Relieved slightly that he finally had the other's attention, Vyse said, "You weren't listening to anything I was saying, were you?"  
  
Ramirez bowed his head again, his expression returning to the way it was. "Mm."  
  
Vyse sweated nervously. "Ramirez?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Are...are you okay?" he ventured cautiously.  
  
The Silvite swordsman was silent for a moment, though some emotion flickered in his otherwise lifeless eyes. "...No."  
  
Swallowing hard, Vyse murmured, "...I'm sorry."  
  
Ramirez said nothing, his expression blank.  
  
"Well..." the Blue Rogue began hesitantly, "anyway... I was just saying how I hadn't gotten any sleep last night. I'm getting really tired now... You were probably up late doing something, too, right? I know you don't sleep really well normally..."  
  
The Silvite still made no reply.  
  
Desperate, the Air Pirate begged, "Ramirez, please don't ignore me!"  
  
There were a few seconds more of silence before he murmured, "...I didn't sleep."  
  
Gratified by the multi-syllable answer, Vyse babbled, "You too, huh? Guess we were both too nervous..."  
  
Ramirez did not respond, and the two fell into an awkward silence.  
  
"So..." the Blue Rogue began again after several empty moments, "...after this...you don't have anywhere to go, do you?"  
  
/_Thank you for reminding me..._/ Ramirez thought glumly, but he only said, "...No."  
  
"Maybe you could go back to the Silver Shrine with Fina?" Vyse suggested.  
  
"I'd rather die," the Silvite stated flatly.  
  
The silence wasn't as long after that, but it was still just as discomfited.  
  
"...Was it really that bad?" the Blue Rogue finally quietly inquired.  
  
"It's not a life to which I wish to return," Ramirez said simply.  
  
"Well..." he murmured, glancing to the side, "I don't know where else you can go..."  
  
Deadpan, Ramirez said, "Hell is always an option."  
  
This time, the silence extended for several moments longer.  
  
"...Ramirez..." Vyse finally tried. "...Hey...don't talk like that, okay? I didn't stop you from killing yourself on the Monoceros to let you kill yourself later, somewhere else..."  
  
"I no longer have a place anywhere," the Silvite replied mechanically, as much to disagree with Vyse as that he honestly believed it. "It would be best if I died."  
  
Rising to his feet, Vyse said tightly, "Don't say that..."  
  
"...even though..." Ramirez continued softly, his white hair eclipsing his eyes, "...I am afraid of dying."  
  
For the fourth time, neither said anything for several long moments, the Blue Rogue gazing down at his companion, the Silvite gazing down at his feet. Outside, the sky moved by lazily, and ahead, Sailor's Isle had appeared on the horizon. Even at their slow speed, it wouldn't be long until they reached it.  
  
With a cough, Vyse sat and changed the subject. "So...speaking of the Silver Shrine...the Silver Crystal's up there, right? Fina said so." He offered a hesitant smile, hoping the ex-Admiral would follow his lead. "It's bad that Galcian has five of the Crystals, but at least he can't get the sixth, right?"  
  
Ramirez looked up slightly, allowing Vyse to see his narrowed eyes, and didn't reply at first. When he finally did speak, he said in a low voice, "You shouldn't rely on Fina's information."  
  
"What?" the surprised Air Pirate uttered. "Why not?"  
  
"She has been fed lies all her life," the white-haired swordsman answered curtly.  
  
Vyse sat up bullet-straight. "You didn't already give it to him, did you?" he questioned him, alarmed.  
  
Ramirez glowered at the floor dourly. "...No. He doesn't have it...yet."  
  
Calming down, the Blue Rogue surmised, "Meaning he'll have it soon. How?"  
  
The green-eyed Silvite hesitated, then slowly held out his left hand before him and stared at his palm, as if there was some secret written there. "...I'll explain it later."  
  
Mystified and somewhat bothered by Ramirez's actions, Vyse nevertheless acquiesced to this with a nod. "Well..." he said instead, "have you ever seen the Silver Crystal?"  
  
"...Yes," the pale swordsman admitted. "Several times. Fina, however, has not."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
His expression darkening, Ramirez answered bitterly, "She doesn't need to know anything. She's Fina, the last of the female Silvites. She needs to be pampered and protected." His voice beginning to raise into a yell, he continued, "She doesn't need to know anything about the truth about the Silvites or our history!"  
  
Startled by this outburst, Vyse only managed to say, "......Um......"  
  
Ramirez almost went on, but upon hearing the small noise, he realized himself and returned to his former sullen, subdued silence.  
  
"Ramirez..." the Blue Rogue began quietly, "just what do you mean by 'the truth'?"  
  
"...I suppose now is as good a time as any to tell you," the silver-haired swordsman muttered. "Besides, I'm no longer following the Elders' will; I have no reason to keep it a secret." He took a deep breath, then began, "You know the general story about the Gigases, about the six civilizations, their struggles for power against each other."  
  
"Yeah," Vyse said with a nod.  
  
"You also know what Fina said before, just before Lord Galcian attacked."  
  
The captain of the Delphinus frowned at the memory. "...Yeah."  
  
"Her version is a highly warped version of the truth," Ramirez stated blandly. "What happened, hundreds of years ago, is that when the Gigases were rampaging across Arcadia, we Silvites decided that to subdue the endless warfare...we had to build our own Gigas."  
  
The exclamation points were audible in Vyse's astonished gasp.  
  
Ignoring it, the Silvite continued, "And we did so, naming our creation Zelos. Its power was well beyond those of any of the other Gigases, and once it was completed, we knew we had created a horror beyond the ken of man. However, we used it regardless, and it quite literally rained destruction on the other civilizations."  
  
Raising an eyebrow, the Blue Rogue interrupted, "Wait, you're not saying..."  
  
"Yes," the former Admiral interrupted back curtly. "Yes. We Silvites were the ones who brought about the Rains of Destruction."  
  
"That's..." Vyse began in amazement, but Ramirez didn't let him get his say.  
  
"But that, of course," he went on, "is not the end. We could not control Zelos. We ended up sealing it in the continent of Soltis, of which the Great Silver Shrine was a part, and send Soltis down to Deep Sky while gathering the most powerful of the Silvites in the Shrine and sending ourselves above Arcadia, far away from the reach of the destruction, far away from Zelos."  
  
"That's..." Vyse murmured again, wide-eyed. "Oh, Moons..."  
  
"Cowardly, yes," the green-eyed man stated without emotion. "We had a history of looking down on the other races; at that time, we simply made it more literal."  
  
"What about Zelos?" the brunet questioned. "Is there any chance the seal could break?"  
  
"On its own? None," Ramirez said promptly. "It has to be broken, and that is not an easy task. It would take the combined powers of the six Moon Crystals to do so."  
  
"Wow..." the brown-eyed rogue breathed. "So, then, you guys came down here to get the Crystals and make sure nobody would manage to wake Zelos up, then?"  
  
The former Admiral smiled and laughed cynically. "Hardly," he said, his tone conveying a sneer he didn't show. "My task was to gather the five Crystals so that we could cleanse Arcadia of humanity once and for all."  
  
Taken aback, the Blue Rogue said, "What?"  
  
"Yes. The Elders intend, once they come in possession of all six Crystals, to use them to raise Soltis, revive the Silver Gigas, and once again command the fall of the Rains of Destruction," Ramirez explained with a twisted, humorless smile.  
  
Staring horrified at the descendant of the ones who summoned the end of the Old World, he stammered, "That's—that's sick!"  
  
"Yes, I know," Ramirez replied with a short dip of the head.  
  
"What gives the Elders the right to make a decision like that?!" Vyse demanded, his righteous anger now taking control.  
  
"The Elders place very little value on life or death," the silver-haired man stated calmly but bitterly. "To them, they are nearly the same thing." With another empty, detestable smile, his eyes glittering with animosity, Ramirez added, "When Hahaue died, they told Fina and me that she had simply returned to nothing, so there was no need to be sad or upset."  
  
Vyse couldn't speak, so filled with outrage was he.  
  
The Silvite shrugged, as if his own overpowering emotions could be dismissed so easily. "In a sense, they are correct," he said lightly. "When you are dead, there is nothing. No pain, no sorrow, no anger...no joy." He bowed his head deeper and murmured to himself, "No love."  
  
Catching the last two words and uncomfortably wishing he hadn't, the Blue Rogue finally managed to inquire, "...But...why? You guys don't live on this planet... How do you know we're scum?"  
  
"We had been watching Valua's actions. Well," he amended, "the Elders had been. That technology was not one to which Fina or I had been granted access. I didn't even know we _could_ watch Arcadia that closely until I was informed of my mission."  
  
"How did you take it?"  
  
Ramirez frowned, glancing up. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, just learning...all of that," he replied awkwardly. "And then being told that you had to help destroy everything. If you were as much like me as a kid as I've heard, I know you would've wanted to explore Arcadia, not break it."  
  
The Silvite didn't answer at first as he gazed at the Blue Rogue; finally, he averted his gaze and muttered, "...You are correct. I...internally, I did not take it well. But I was not given a choice. I was to go, to complete the mission, and that was that."  
  
"But it didn't turn out that way," Vyse said, rather than asked.  
  
Ramirez shook his head. "No. I was out of their influence once I descended to this world. I had little intentions at first of returning. Then, after Admiral Me—" he abruptly cut himself off and began again as if nothing out of place had occurred, "after a certain incident, I decided that I would return to the Elders' mission." Vyse blinked curiously, wanting to ask what happened with Admiral Mendosa, but he wasn't given a chance to cut in since the Silvite went on, "But as I became more and more acquainted with Lord Galcian, I came to realize that he alone could and would save this world, and I decided I would follow him exclusively."  
  
"...Wait, come again?" the captain of the Delphinus said, his question about Mendosa forgotten as he stared at his companion. "Galcian? _Save_ the world?"  
  
The former Admiral shed a small smile. "Yes, you don't know, do you?" he reflected. "About his true intentions."  
  
Vyse stared for a moment before inquiring, "Okay, what am I missing?"  
  
Ramirez frowned. "...That is not for you to know."  
  
"Aw, come ON!" the Blue Rogue protested. "It's not like you're working for him anymore!"  
  
That was precisely the wrong thing to say, as it prompted the white-haired young man to face Vyse directly and narrow his brilliant green eyes at him in a black glare that had in the past frozen the bowels of professional soldiers. "Despite," he began, his tone matching the frigidity of his gaze, "that I have betrayed him for you, I still have a great deal of respect for Lord Galcian, and will not reveal to you the secrets he has entrusted to me." He shut his eyes, folding his hands in his lap. "It will all become clear shortly, anyhow."  
  
Cringing slightly, Vyse silently glanced away as Ramirez spoke, scratching at his scar as he watched Sailor's Isle come closer and closer. When the Silvite finished, he frowned slightly; he didn't like how those words sounded like a promise... Instead, he chose to inquire, "You'll really tell me where the Silver Moon Crystal is, right? There's no way I'm letting Galcian get his hands on it. No matter what his plans are, as long as he's hurting people to fulfill them, I'll stop whatever he's doing."  
  
Ramirez had to admire the strength of Vyse's conviction in his words, foolish as it was; well, that indomitable spirit was also part of what made him so appealing... "You cannot stop Lord Galcian," he said quietly. "Having fought me before, you know how strong I am." He paused for a few seconds, then with a slight sigh, finished, "Lord Galcian easily outmatches me."  
  
"Even if you say that," the undaunted rogue grinned, "I'm still not going to give up." Since the Silvite's only reply was a single ellipse, Vyse stood and walked over to the controls, his gaze on the bustling isle of commerce. "We're almost to Sailor's Isle," he said, if only for the sake of saying something. "I guess we'll stick together for a few days longer." He glanced back at his silver-haired companion and added, "I'll shop around the island, get us some supplies and food, and ask around to see what ships are going where, and when... You just get us a room at the inn and stay there, all right? I'll lend you the money."  
  
Knowing that he had plenty of it, having had it taken and returned along with his other things, Ramirez just nodded. There was no reason to ask why Vyse was mitigating him so few duties; after one is burned the first time, one is always more cautious about touching the stove, so to speak.  
  
Listening to the Blue Rogue hum a forcedly jaunty tune to himself, the ex-Admiral stared morosely as they crept up to the back of Sailor's Isle, where few eyes would be watching, and rose to the edge, up to the supplies tower. Without a word, Vyse snuck in a window, and Ramirez followed after, though not before overloading the lifeboat's autopilot, ensuring it would crash down beneath the clouds masking Deep Sky, leaving no trace of their arrival.  
  
"You like to be thorough, don't you?" Vyse murmured, climbing down the ladder.  
  
The former Admiral shrugged before following suit, and when both reached the bottom, the Air Pirate snuck a peek outside.  
  
"The Armada isn't going to swoop down on you," Ramirez commented offhandedly. "If you've had no major problems after escaping the Grand Fortress twice, then I doubt they'll crop up now."  
  
"Problems have already cropped up," the brunet rogue replied, casting his companion a meaningful glance.  
  
The pale swordsman didn't reply. He understood, guilt gnawing again at his heart, Vyse's implication.  
  
"I'll go on ahead," the Blue Rogue said, glancing out again. "You just head straight to the inn."  
  
"All right," Ramirez murmured, and after gold exchanged hands, the two men crossed the bridge and headed in different directions. He only said the barest of necessary words to the innkeeper, and when the gold exchanged hands once again and a double was procured, the Silvite headed upstairs, and choosing a bed at random, he collapsed on top of it, despair once again welling up inside of him.  
  
"What am I doing...?" he said softly, covering his eyes with the back of his left hand. "I was supposed to die... I let him talk me into this. I suppose I really _don't_ want to die..." He sighed deeply. "Ever since I fell for him, I've known myself to be weak, but I hadn't realized I was _this_ weak..."  
  
Falling into silent contemplation, Ramirez mused that with Vyse gone, there was nothing stopping him from sliding his blade across his neck now...except, of course, for his own pride. It was one thing to commit suicide in the iron confines of his personal flagship; it was another thing entirely to do the same thing in a bright, sunny inn room on an island filled with civilians. Though he had fallen this far, though he had no right to be so self-centered, he still couldn't tolerate the thought of his remains being mishandled.  
  
It was as good a reason as any not to kill oneself, he supposed, and thus Ilazki stayed in its sheath. And besides, the former Admiral reasoned ruefully, he probably owed it to the Blue Rogue to see him partway home safely. When they split paths for good, he could find someplace quiet and private to die. Or perhaps, he reflected, it would be simply easiest to surrender his body to the skies. He smiled morbidly. It would certainly ensure that his corpse would never be mishandled, since there wouldn't _be_ any corpse _to_ mishandle.  
  
With a short sigh, Ramirez sat straight and threw his legs over the side of the bed before standing up and drawing the curtains. It was far too bright for his tastes, and he didn't want anyone glancing in unnecessarily. Sullenly, he wondered how long it would be until Vyse returned as he slowly removed his jacket, gloves and boots, carefully laid them over a chair, and rested once again on his chosen bed, pausing long enough to lean Ilazki against it.  
  
Shutting his eyes though he knew sleep was an impossibility, the white-haired man idly pondered this brief journey with Vyse he was undertaking. Well, it wasn't much of a journey, since it would inevitably end in his death one way or another—that was the way of all journeys, he ruminated; the journeys that began with birth, that was—but it would be nice, he mused, if it could stretch out longer than what was projected. Again, it was his weakness, but now that his death was stayed for a short while longer, he found the thought of telling his unrequited love _farewell, forever,_ more and more difficult.  
  
Ramirez could never forget what he had been, who he had betrayed, and what he had left behind. But if he could live the rest of his short life with Vyse, he might be happy...  
  
/_No, I wouldn't,_/ he told himself, his sense of reality returning. /_There is no way I could be happy with Vyse; it's only his pity and conscience that keeps him from abandoning me completely. Though he told me he forgives me, I doubt he would have said such a thing had I not offended his senses by attempting self-murder. Even if he does not hate me, we cannot go back to the way we were. I can't ever regain what I discarded. I will never, ever retain his foolish blind trust again—as I never should have._/  
  
Trapping himself in with his dismal thoughts, Ramirez repeated the words of retribution repeatedly, forcing himself to believe that. He had no future, especially not with Vyse, and he could not permit himself even a grain of doubt otherwise. After all, giving in to despair, to self-hatred and the darkness of his mind, was leagues better than the alternative.  
  
It was far too cruel to allow hope to wrap her thorny vines twixt his tormented body...to let her calm his thrashing and slowly tear him asunder with a sweet smile.  
Though it was a far cry from sailing the air currents, the warm breeze, sunny skies and friendly bustle of Sailor's Isle lifted Vyse's mood considerably, though he knew when he was done he would have to return to the inn where Ramirez was waiting. Vyse had friends and contacts on Sailor's Isle, and after setting up a meeting in the afternoon with one of them, an old friend of his father's named Johan, the Blue Rogue went shopping to kill time. His reputation as Vyse the Hero had thankfully earned him a discount at the items shop where he stocked up on Sacres Crystals, and such and the equipment shop, where he bought a few changes of clothes, and after telling Anne at Polly's pub about his adventures and troubles since getting her mother to join his crew—leaving out the part that he was still traveling with Ramirez—she treated him to lunch on the house and loqua so cheap, it may as well have been free, too.  
  
It was good business, as it turned out; several people who entered the pub recognized the infamous Blue Rogue, and as he told stories to them, too, they bought more than enough to cover Vyse's meal. The time until the young ship captain's meeting passed quickly, and when it came, the Air Pirate had to hurry, and even then he was a few minutes late reaching the balcony at the end of the island, where Johan was waiting.  
  
"Yer late," the bearded older man said gruffly, his arms over his chest.  
  
"Sorry, sorry!" Vyse said with an apologetic grin, winking and holding a hand vertically in front of his face. "Lost track of time... I appreciate you doing this for me, Johan."  
  
"Nah, if 's for Dyne's son, a few minutes don't matter," the brown-haired man said with a smile. "You said you're in somethin' of a tight spot, did you?"  
  
Vyse nodded and explained the situation to Johan. "Do you think you can find me a ride back to Crescent Isle?" he finished. "Once I get back to my base, I promise I'll make it worth your while."  
  
The bearded sailor chuckled, and at the younger Blue Rogue's quizzical look, he explained, "I remember doin' these kinds of favors for your old man twenty, twenty-five years ago, back when we were both kids, like you. Figures that here I am, hearin' the same lines from his kid. You really are your father's son, Vyse."  
  
The blue-clad rogue laughed, placing his fists on his hips. "I'll take that as a compliment!" he grinned. "So can I count on you, Johan?"  
  
"Leave it to me, Vyse," the older sailor grinned. "Findin' a ride for one person shouldn't be too tough—"  
  
"Ah," the captain of the Delphinus interjected with a nervous smile, "sorry. I forgot to mention, I've got...someone else with me." He was fair loathe to say 'a friend'.  
  
"Two people?" Johan frowned. "Well... That'll be a little tougher. I should be able to find you someone who'll take you at least to Nasrad in a few days." He looked thoughtful for a few seconds, then added, "Say, Vyse, speakin' of Nasrad, there was somethin' I wanted to ask you..."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
The older sailor's frown deepened, creasing his forehead. "Now, don't get me wrong. I've known your father since we were both your age, and so I've known you since you were just a babe, so I know you'd never do anything like this."  
  
"Yeah?" Vyse asked again, sweating slightly, thoughts of accusations concerning Ramirez forming.  
  
"Well, it's just that there's been tales circlin' that you've turned Black Pirate."  
  
Vyse stared; he definitely hadn't expected _that_. "_What_?"  
  
Johan smiled with a short nod. "That's what I'd thought. Y'see, you, or someone lookin' just like you, 's appeared on the bounty list at the Sailor's Guilds, 'long with your two lady friends, Aika and that girl Dyne told me you'd all rescued from the Valuans—what was her name again?"  
  
"Fina," the stunned Blue Rogue told him automatically. "You've gotta be kidding!"  
  
"'s no joke," Johan said grimly. "They say you and your two friends've been terrorizin' innocent people and taking their money. 'Course, it's not true, but someone's still out there, tarnishin' your name, Vyse. When you get the chance, you'd better confront 'em."  
  
"Thanks, I will, Johan," Vyse replied, equally grimly.  
  
"I understand that those three hang 'round near Nasrad, 's why I thought of it," the older rogue went on. "If you stop off there 'fore you head to Crescent Isle, make sure to keep an eye out for 'em, y'hear?"  
  
"I'll do that," the Blue Rogue nodded.  
  
"Ye'll have to, I 'spect," Johan muttered, stroking his beard. "Well then, I've got t' take care of some other business, and I 'magine you've got others things to do, too, Vyse. Ye're staying at the inn, right?" At the young rogue's 'uh-huh' of assent, he went on, beginning to walk down the street to the docks, "When I've got news for you, I'll leave a message at the desk. You take care of yourself, 'hear?"  
  
Vyse grinned. "You too, Johan!" he called, then headed for the inn to drop off the things he'd bought so far.  
  
As he walked in, he caught sight of the mysterious merchant who sometimes hung out in the lobby, and decided to see if he had anything new. As it turned out, he had a limited supply of wooden chess sets picked up during his travels, and thinking of how difficult it had been to maintain a conversation with Ramirez, Vyse bought one, glad that they'd have something else to do.  
  
/_It'll be good to have around later, too,_/ he thought as he told the innkeeper that he'd had someone rent a room for the two of them earlier that day and asked for and received his room key. /_It's been so long since I've played last! I could have a few matches against Aika, and we could teach Fina how to play..._/  
  
His spirits still high in spite of Johan's dampening news and the fact that he was going upstairs to where Ramirez was, Vyse made his way to his room. The first thing he looked for was, of course, Ramirez himself; he saw him lying on one bed with his sword lying against one of the posts and some of his clothes draped over a chair.  
  
Wondering if he might be asleep, which would explain why all the curtains were drawn, the Blue Rogue said softly, "Ramirez? You awake?"  
  
The white-haired man didn't reply; after watching his chest rise and fall slowly for a few moments, Vyse decided he _was_ slumbering, and thus set his things down quietly before sitting down on the bed that was left and looking again at the former Admiral's now calm face.  
  
/_I could do well with some sleep myself,_/ he thought with a big yawn, the buzz he'd gotten from his streak of good fortune wearing off and the darkness of the room inviting. /_Still got a few things left to do, though..._/  
  
Vyse still sat there long enough, looking at Ramirez, to notice that the shorter man's bangs were a mess across his face. He stood to move to brush them away, but he hadn't taken a step before he reconsidered it. He didn't know how lightly Ramirez slept; doing that might wake him up, and that'd be a shame—it looked like he wasn't having any bad dreams for once. Besides, if they weren't bothering him now, he shouldn't feel obliged to do anything extra, the Air Pirate reasoned.  
  
He sat back down and rubbed at his uncovered eye, then gazed again at his resting companion thoughtfully. /_It's sort of interesting..._/ he mused. /_Even though he betrayed me, I still worry about him a little... Well, he used to be my friend once. I guess it's natural..._/ Vyse raised his vision to the ceiling, recalling how, just a few nights ago, he had been wondering what it would be like to be in a relationship with his moody companion. /_Considering it turned out that he's in love with me, I've got to wonder what Ramirez would say if I told him that..._/  
  
With another yawn, he stood and headed for the door, knowing he needed to finish things up before he could let himself go to bed. /_Better not tell him, though,_/ the Blue Rogue decided. /_It's not as if I was thinking seriously... It would be cruel to make Ramirez think I was interested in him, when I can't even trust him anymore._/  
  
There was a nostalgic twinge in his heart for the transient days when he _did_ trust the silver-haired swordsman, however naïvely, and a hesitation; then Vyse quietly left the room, shutting the door behind him.  
Evening had fallen and the stars were shining gently when Vyse returned to the room, carrying with him groceries, new armor for himself, and a quick dinner Anne had thoughtfully packed for him. Ramirez was sitting next to one of the windows, leaning on the windowsill, watching the night sky, surrounded by darkness.  
  
Vyse set his packages down and fumbled for one of the lamps, then lit it. "Ramirez, what is with you and not having any lights on?" he asked.  
  
"It's easier to stargaze without bright lights around," the pale swordsman murmured in reply, not looking over at the Blue Rogue.  
  
/_Makes sense,_/ the Air Pirate admitted, and he picked up the bagged meal before walking over to his companion and offering it. "Here, you must be hungry."  
  
Ramirez glanced up at him then, his expression neutral but not harsh, and accepted it. "Thank you."  
  
With a small yawn, the captain of the Delphinus headed over to his bed, sat down heavily and began to pull off his boots, discreetly keeping his eyes on Ramirez, who brought his meal over to the nightstand separating their beds. The former Admiral didn't notice, or perhaps pretended not to notice, and it wasn't until he had begun to eat that Vyse threw himself back onto his bed.  
  
"Ramirez?" he said, pulling off his goggle to rub at his eyes. "Just wanted to let you know, I've got someone working on getting us a ride out of here."  
  
The Silvite made a small noise of acknowledgement.  
  
"It's to Nasrad, though..." the Blue Rogue went on. "I know that's not a good place for you, but if you want, I can ask him to get you a separate ride."  
  
There was a short pause as Ramirez took a sip of his water. Then he replied, "Ultimately, it won't matter, but do whatever you please."  
  
Vyse frowned. "What do you mean, 'ultimately, it won't matter'?"  
  
"You have no intentions of looking over me forever, do you?" Ramirez replied calmly. "You only brought me along because you were afraid of what I would do to myself had you not made that offer."  
  
The Blue Rogue narrowed his brown eyes as he realized the former Admiral's intentions. "...You still think you have to die," he stated, rather than asked.  
  
"You needn't feel so guilty over me," the Silvite said offhandedly. "Not when I'm the one who wronged you."  
  
"It's not _about_ guilt!" Vyse said, upset, rising to his feet. "It's just wrong to kill yourself!"  
  
"As wrong as being homosexual? More? Less?" Ramirez queried, his tone light but with a hard edge.  
  
The Blue Rogue, rendered temporarily speechless, sat back down.  
  
"If it's according to your set of morals, I've already collected a great deal of sins," the Silvite went on, now tersely. "What's yet another sin to round them all off? Besides," and he speared a steamed vegetable on the end of his fork, "I don't want to be told what's wrong and what's right from _you_, an Air Pirate."  
  
"I'm not _just_ an Air Pirate!" Vyse snapped hotly.  
  
"Yes, you're a Blue Rogue, aren't you?" Ramirez said dryly, setting down his fork. "The 'good' pirate. But no matter what principles to which you adhere yourself, you still steal for a living. Or does your lifestyle suddenly make stealing okay?"  
  
"It's not as if we're stealing just for ourselves!" the captain of the Delphinus retorted, his ire growing. "We help others with what we take, and we never target defenseless ships!"  
  
"But you are still taking things that don't belong to you," the Silvite said evenly, glaring at Vyse with narrowed green eyes. "No matter how you go about it, no matter who you target, no matter what you do with what you've stolen, it's still a crime!"  
  
Narrowing his eyes back, Vyse demanded, "And you're the one who judges people for their crimes, hmm?"  
  
The shorter swordsman fell silent, glancing away, knowing fully well that his recent actions rendered him unworthy of passing judgment on anyone or anything.  
  
"Maybe what we Blue Rogues do _is_ wrong," the young captain granted when Ramirez didn't reply. "But we do them for the right reasons! That can make all the difference in what makes a crime a crime! Your problem is that you think is such black-and-white terms!"  
  
"_Your_ problem is that you believe that such things as morals exist to begin with," the white-haired man muttered angrily. "There's no such thing as 'good' or 'evil'—they're just concepts created by humans to rationalize otherwise irrational behavior!"  
  
Thoroughly exasperated with the Silvite's see-sawing opinions, the Air Pirate argued, "But if that were true, you wouldn't have let me go, would you? Because if there really isn't any good or evil, as you said, there wouldn't have been a reason to feel guilty about it! Just now, even, you said you'd wronged me! And if you really believed what you just said, that everything's morally ambiguous, what would be the point in hating people like you do?" Throwing up his arms in irritation, he declared, "Moons, Ramirez, you're such a hypocrite!!"  
  
"If I'm a hypocrite, then so are you, Vyse!" the ex-Admiral snarled, getting to his feet. "Do you really think that your actions have only positive repercussions?! Do you think it's really the _Upper_ Valuans who suffer when you attack Valuan warships? Of course not! That's not permissible in Valuan society! It is inevitably the Lower Valuans who are forced to work harder for lower and lower pay to make up for what _you_ pirates steal!" As the young ship captain stared open-mouthed at Ramirez in shocked revelation, he continued, "Do you really think you're doing the world a favor?! It's precisely that self-centered arrogance that made me despise you all! You _disgust_ me, Vyse!!"  
  
His desire to defend himself returning, the Blue Rogue rose to his feet to match his companion and yelled back, "If I'm so disgusting, why did you fall in love with me!?"  
  
Ramirez flinched and averted his gaze to the floor, his teeth and fists tightly clenched. Several long seconds passed without comment before the pale swordsman murmured, "...I thought you were different."  
  
"And I'm not?" the young ship captain demanded.  
  
The Silvite didn't reply.  
  
"Everything you've said so far has been about Air Pirates and Blue Rogues in general," he continued, a little more gently now. "Am I still not different?  
  
"...You're still convinced that you're in the right, no matter what you do," the ex-Admiral muttered. "But that's not always the case. What is good and evil to you may not be the case to someone else.  
  
Frowning, the Blue Rogue inquired, "Doesn't that apply to you, too?"  
  
"...I used to have a set of beliefs..." Ramirez nearly whispered, "and nothing could make me question them. They were what gave me stability, a foundation from which I built the way to live my life..." He looked up at Vyse, his eyes wavering, and swallowed hard. "You single-handedly destroyed that foundation. You, and you alone, are the one who makes me wonder if I have been following the wrong path for all these years." As Vyse looked at Ramirez, his brow creased in sadness, the Silvite glanced away and murmured, "You made me..." He paused, a flash of fretfulness flitting across his face, and plunged forward, "...fall in love with you."  
  
Quietly, the Blue Rogue said, "I didn't _make_ you do anything."  
  
"I know." The Silvite sat, resting his face in his hands. "I know. But whether or not you intended for any of this to happen...it did anyway."  
  
There was a moment of self-conscious silence before Ramirez dropped his arms onto his knees and glanced up at Vyse, his set expression indicating barely restrained words. Discomfited, the Blue Rogue stared back, and he stepped back slightly when the Silvite suddenly stood and glared fiercely into his eyes.  
  
"Vyse, do—" he began, but Vyse spoke at the same time with, "I—"  
  
Ramirez fell silent, and the Blue Rogue, glancing away and rubbing the back of his neck, murmured, "...I'm tired. I'm going to bed."  
  
The silver-haired youth fell silent, his green eyes reflecting his hurt, and he hesitated, his lips partly slightly as if to say something, an argument or perhaps a question. But the moment passed, and he bowed his head, his pale bangs obscuring his face.  
  
"...All right," he said simply, and he returned to his nearly forgotten meal, turning his back to Vyse as he resumed eating.  
  
Vyse watched him for a moment more, the fingers of guilt prodding him mercilessly, and biting back a sigh, he pulled off his scarf and jacket, and after throwing them on one of the posts at the foot of his bed, he crawled under his covers and shortly after fell asleep, exhaustion conquering sleepless anxiety.  
  
The ex-Admiral stared blankly out at the stars as he supped joylessly. If Vyse hated him utterly, it would be easier to forget his damned feelings and surrender himself to the oblivion of death. But it seemed that it was not so easy—either for Vyse to hate him, or for him to get the Blue Rogue to despise him. He had half-hoped as the argument escalated that the object of his ill-advised affections would turn his back on him for good, to declare that he would have nothing more to do with him. Ramirez knew how to deal with being hated; he was used to it. Loathing was practically one of his life's principles. But he would not accept pity...  
  
Glancing at the Air Pirate's slumbering form, he whispered, "I don't want you to feel sorry for me. If you must hate me, hate me—at least then I wouldn't be taunted by a hope that cannot be realized. But I don't want your compassion. I spit upon your sympathy. I am wretched enough as it is without your commiserations. Since, as you say, you cannot love me, abhor me! At least then I have something against which I can fight, something against which I can defend myself..." Returning morosely to his meal, he continued mentally, /_When you grant me kind words, I lose my will to struggle... Like on the Monoceros, when you asked me to go with you. In the end, I couldn't say no, because you poisoned me with hope..._/  
  
Finishing his meal and drink, Ramirez set down the remains of his dinner and crossed the small gap between his bed and Vyse's to sit next to the Blue Rogue's slumbering form, gazing briefly at his knees, then twist his body around to lay his eyes wistfully on the Blue Rogue.  
  
He smiled briefly, despondently, as he watched the young captain rest. /_I don't want to live, but I don't want to die, either. How pathetic I am..._/ he thought, then drew his legs up onto the bed to balance himself as he leaned forward and stroked Vyse's hair. "You're such a heavy sleeper," he murmured. "You wouldn't wake up even if I watched over you like this for the entire night, would you?"  
  
The Blue Rogue snored softly in reply.  
  
Ramirez laughed quietly, and its melancholy sound faded into the pitch. Still running the backs of his fingers against Vyse's brown locks, he said what he could not before. "Vyse..." he murmured, "do you know how painful it is to be this close to you, yet still separated from you? You can't, can you? Everyone who's important to you will receive you with open arms..." He leaned his head against the headboard, gazing down at the brunet, and continued, "I always knew that I was never on Lord Galcian's level, that I was simply an assistant to his plans. In spite of my latent talents and skills, I had no true significance if I was not doing something for his sake. Thus, there was always a line, a barrier, marking the difference between us. A great deal of the time I never registered it was there, but on some level I never forgot about it once I realized its existence."  
  
He slid his fingers under a layer of Vyse's hair and sighed, "With you...it's similar, but different. There is a barrier between us, and sometimes, I can sense it so strongly that for a few brief seconds I can _see_ it..."  
  
The Silvite laughed again. "Don't you think there's something hopelessly foolish about me for chasing after you, clinging to you, even though I can _feel_ the wall blocking me from you?" he inquired rhetorically. "Do you think, perhaps, it's the last traces of the me that was like you, back when I was innocent—when I believed in Arcadians as fully and wholeheartedly as you believed in me? Perhaps the Ramirez Fina and Doc knew isn't as dead as I had thought he was... Perhaps the me of those days is reviving in response to my loneliness, which I only remembered in all these years after I met you... Or perhaps he simply began to reawaken when I saw him in you."  
  
Vyse of course offered no reply, and with a depressed sigh, Ramirez ran his fingers through the rogue's hair. He continued to keep watch over the Blue Rogue for several hours, when he silently slid off the bed to pace restlessly, then settle near the uncloaked window to stare out at the stars. He repeated the process, often shuffling the order, until well past the sky outside the westward-facing windows grew tinted with pink, when Vyse finally began to stir awake; it was only then that he ceased his prowling and retreated to his bed, lying down and staring up at the ceiling. He listened to the young captain make small noises, turn over, and shortly after begin to snore again: he had gone back to sleep.  
  
Shutting his eyes, Ramirez attempted to follow suit. There was nothing else to do, and now that he had finally laid himself to rest, he was too dejected to rise again.  
  
When Vyse _did_ awaken for good a couple of hours later, he got out of bed and stretched noisily, glancing furtively at the other bed as he did so. Ramirez looked asleep, but considering he'd already gotten a few hours in earlier, the Blue Rogue didn't know if he really was resting, and after their argument last night, he didn't know if he wanted to check just yet. He whittled away his time by getting dressed, eating, heading out for a walk around town, talking with the people he met on the way, staring suspiciously at the thunderheads beginning to build on the northern horizon, admiring the ships out on the docks, eating again at lunch at Polly's, and repeating his morning activities. Eventually, however, he knew he had to return to the inn, and when he did, the silver-haired swordsman was practicing his footwork, his sword, sheathed, in hand. He halted in one graceful mid-step as soon as Vyse opened the door, stared at him for a split-second, then tossed his sword onto his bed and looked away.  
  
"Looks like you're up," Vyse said awkwardly, then cursed himself for saying something so stupidly obvious.  
  
"...Yes," Ramirez replied, still keeping his gaze on the floor.  
  
"So...how are you?" he inquired, walking into the room and pushing the door shut behind him.  
  
The former Admiral shrugged indifferently. "As well as could be expected, I suppose."  
  
"Did you sleep at all last night?" the rogue ventured, and was puzzled when the Silvite's shoulders stiffened.  
  
/_Did he notice? Was he awake?_/ Ramirez wondered frantically, on the verge of mortification. He wouldn't be able to bear it if Vyse had heard what he'd said last night—  
  
"Um, are you okay?" Vyse inquired, taking a step forward.  
  
The former Admiral quickly turned his back to him and didn't reply.  
  
Thinking he had the answer, the rogue softly guessed, "Bad dreams again, huh?"  
  
"I don't care to talk about it," Ramirez said stiffly, though he was pleased to let Vyse think so. "And you? How did you sleep?"  
  
Smiling, though slightly nervously, the pirate answered, "Heh, the usual. Aika says I sleep like a rock..."  
  
"That's...good," the Silvite said without any enthusiasm.  
  
A lull came again in their conversation, now a common thing between the two men. Vyse, glancing away and laying his eyes on the chess set he'd bought yesterday, lit up with a smile and queried brightly, "Say, Ramirez, you probably play chess, right?"  
  
Finally, the former Admiral glanced over his shoulder at the Blue Rogue, his eyebrows arched, and he replied with a quiet, "...Yes. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Well," and the young ship captain picked up the wooden chess case, "I bought a chess set yesterday, to help pass the time—you want to play a few games?"  
  
"You'll lose," Ramirez stated plainly.  
  
Vyse rolled his eyes. "It's just a game."  
  
"I'm just warning you," the Silvite frowned. "Fine. There's nothing else to do, anyway."  
  
The Blue Rogue set up the chessboard on the floor quietly, sitting cross-legged. "Which side do you want to be?" he queried as he set up the pieces.  
  
The Silvite kneeled down on the opposite side. "I'll be black," he replied. "You need all the advantages you can get."  
  
Vyse rolled his eyes again as he placed the pawns appropriately. He knew white always went first in chess, and didn't mind that, but he didn't appreciate the slight that came with the gesture.  
  
The first game concluded as Ramirez had predicted—and so did the second, third, fourth, and fifth. It was getting harder and harder for Vyse to laugh off each loss, so as he set up his side of the board for the sixth game, he brought up what he'd asked the former Admiral about the other day.  
  
"So," he said, glancing up at the Silvite, who was also resetting his pieces, "you said yesterday that you'd tell me about the Silver Crystal..."  
  
"...Yes," Ramirez murmured, staring down at the board, "but perhaps it would be better to show you." Moving the chessboard aside, he took Vyse's hands into his own, an action that caused the young pirate's eyes to widen, and a faint blush to form across his face.  
  
"Uh, Ramirez...?" he began nervously, uncertain at what the Silvite was trying to do. "What's this got to do with—"  
  
Looking up from their joined hands into Vyse's eyes, the former admiral cut him off. "You'll see."  
  
Vyse stared back, uncomprehending, until a sudden warmth began to pulse where his hands wrapped around Ramirez's. He looked down, startled, and was further astonished to see a silver-white light shining from his hands as a crystal orb half-emerged from Ramirez's left hand.  
  
"The Silver Moon Crystal..." Ramirez murmured, the unearthly light playing across his face, "...is right here."  
  
The brunet man stared back up at the Silvite, confusion and amazement plainly written across his face. "It...it's in your body? How did it get in your body?"  
  
"It's not a thing that is unique to me," the white-haired man explained, his voice oddly soft. "All Silvites are born with a piece of the Silver Crystal in their bodies. This is one of the things that marks us as differing from humans."  
  
"Does...Galcian know about this?" the Blue Rogue asked.  
  
"Yes," was the simple reply.  
  
The captain of the Delphinus looked back down at the shimmering silver stone for a moment, in silent awe of its splendor. "If...if you've had it all this time," he eventually said, looking back up into Ramirez's eyes once more, "...how come you didn't give it to him?"  
  
The Silvite dropped his eyes slightly, gazing at their intertwined hands. "The Crystal is the source of our life energy. If it is taken from our bodies, we die," he stated, not looking up again, any trace of tenderness gone from his voice.  
  
"...I see," Vyse frowned, gazing back down at the glittering gem again. On impulse, he began to gently trace the contours of the crystal, and when the former Admiral didn't admonish him or protest, he continued. He had, of course, touched Moon Crystals before; however... Well, the others had certainly been beautiful to behold, but they were cold to the touch. This stone was warm—it was_ alive_. Somehow, that made all the difference...  
  
Ramirez just watched as the brunet rogue ran his fingers across and around the Crystal, and felt heat rise to his face. "Vyse..." he said softly, unable to take his eyes away from the Air Pirate.  
  
The sound of Ramirez's voice made Vyse look up at the Silvite abruptly, and he couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. "Ramirez..." he murmured.  
  
Their gazes held like that for a moment longer, before Vyse realized something, and dropped Ramirez's hand like a hot coal as he leapt to his feet. "Fina!" he cried. "What about Fina? If Galcian knows about the Silver Crystal, then—"  
  
"Does it matter?" the former admiral muttered, staring down at the floor as the Silver Crystal retreated back into his left hand. "Besides, Lord Galcian would rather take it from my body. He would accomplish two goals that way."  
  
The young captain stared down at the Silvite in shock, taken aback by his callousness. "Don't you care about Fina at all?"  
  
Ramirez clenched his right hand into a fist, and snapped, "Why should I? She has all of _you_ to take care of her! She deserves _nothing_ from me but my hatred!"  
  
"Hey, don't say things like that!" Vyse yelled back, his anger aroused. "Nobody deserves hatred! And for the sake of the Moons, she cares about you! She _loves_ you, dammit! How can you say you hate someone who loves you?"  
  
The silver-haired swordsman glared up at the other man. "Didn't you hate me, if only for a while, though I told you I loved you?" he asked, his voice as cold as the landmarks around Glacia.  
  
The young rogue's expression became a stricken one. "I... I didn't mean it..." he said softly, turning his eyes to the wall to his right. "I was upset then. It was something I said without thinking about it. And I've forgiven you now, in any case."  
  
Ramirez shook his head. "Sadly, I neither forgive nor forget. Fina would take everything I desired from me and never even realize she was doing it." He hissed, "I cannot forgive her...!"  
  
The Blue Rogue gazed down at the bitter Silvite, a trace of pity upon his face. He sighed, and sat down on the floor again. "Hey, Ramirez," he began after a few minutes, his tone a little gentler, "would Galcian really go after you before Fina?"  
  
The green-eyed swordsman shrugged slightly. "I don't see why not. As I said, he can kill two birds with one stone that way."  
  
"But...he trusted you. Don't you mean something to him? At all?" the brunet youth asked.  
  
Ramirez did not reply at first. "...I did, before I betrayed him. Now, though...."  
  
"So because of a few moments of weakness, he'd have you killed after you've been working for him faithfully for—for years?" the Blue Rogue asked, throwing up his arms in disbelief.  
  
"It's more than 'a few moments of weakness'," the Silvite muttered. "Lord Galcian had no need for those who—oh, why do I even bother?" he groused. "You never understand, no matter how many times I try to explain."  
  
The Blue Rogue frowned slightly, hurt, and changed the course of the conversation slightly. "Why did you tell Galcian about the Silver Crystal? Weren't you worried he might have killed you for it?"  
  
Ramirez was again silent for a moment, then sighed, giving in. "He had to know; it was his right," he said wearily. "And if he had decided that my life should be exchanged for the furthering of his plans, then so it would have been."  
  
Vyse stared at him, his expression pained. "Ramirez..." he breathed, "you don't—you shouldn't..." He trailed off, and shook his head. "What about me?" he questioned, his voice quiet. "Didn't you...at least worry a little that I might—"  
  
"—kill me for the Crystal?" the former Admiral finished. "Well, because I didn't think you would. Besides," he added, gazing down at the floor with an odd little smile, "I...don't think it would be so bad, to be killed by you..."  
  
Vyse gaped at the Silvite in stunned silence, before he pulled the chess board back between them again. Changing the subject completely away from the morbid topic at hand, he asked, "Hey, would you like to play another game? I have to beat you one of these times."  
  
Ramirez's expression grew cold and neutral at that, and he replied, his tone betraying neither his thoughts nor his feelings, "...All right."  
Vyse left the inn room eventually, forced by necessity—he still had a great deal of paranoia concerning returning to the room and finding Ramirez in a pool of his own blood, but there were still things he had to do, and he couldn't get them done while watching over the ex-Admiral, nor did he think it a good idea to bring the morose Silvite with him. The weather outside didn't help the Air Pirates's anxieties, either; the skies were deepening gray, and the fierce way the winds were blowing, the Blue Rogue knew there would be a bad storm by that evening. He sought out Johan quickly, hoping to hear good news, that passage had been found. However, when he met with the older sailor, he was greeted grimly.  
  
"Vyse, I've been lookin' for you," said the bearded man with a frown, pulling him into the Sailor's Guild.  
  
"Did you manage to find a ride?" the young rogue said quickly, but the look on Johan's face dashed his hopes.  
  
"I still need time, but so far, t'tell you the truth, it doesn't sound like too many folks are willin' to lug about a wanted Air Pirate," he replied. "Many of 'em admire you for what you've done, but it's one thing t'think you're doing a fine job and another t'risk Valua's wrath by helpin' y'out, it seems."  
  
The captain of the Delphinus nodded, discouraged but not disheartened. Lots of people had lots to lose, after all; though he didn't agree with their choices, he didn't fault those who didn't make a fuss or help those who did. "Well, we've still got time," he smiled.  
  
"Actually," Johan said, his frown deepening, "you don't. Part've the reason why people are reluctant to give you a ride is 'cause they're saying that a few Armada ships're coming here for a stop-off. Bullshit, I say. What supplies could they get here that they couldn't get from their own outposts?" He shook his head. "No, I think they're looking for you, Vyse, so if you know what's good for you, you'd better get out of here as soon as the storm blows by."  
  
"But if I don't have a ride—" the young rogue protested, eyes wide with alarm.  
  
Johan cut him off with a chuckle. "Are you a pirate or aren't you?" he queried. "Sneak aboard a ship. There's a bunch still docked, an' they'll likely set sail just after the storm passes. That's the best you'll get, I 'spect. Just hope the Armada doesn't decide to 'inspect' any of the boats, hey?"  
  
"All right," Vyse smiled. "Thanks again!"  
  
"You take care've yourself, you hear?" Johan smiled back.  
  
The young rogue nodded. "Oh, one last thing," he added. "Could you send word to my parents that I'm all right? And Aika and the others, if you see them?"  
  
"No problem," the bearded sailor said gruffly. "Now you and your friend best be gone from here soon, so you'd better head back to where you're staying and pack up whatever you've got."  
  
Vyse nodded, and the two exchanged good-byes before leaving for their respective places. The Blue Rogue watched the clouds worriedly as he went; they looked awfully swollen, like they'd burst open any second. They remained intact, thankfully, as he walked, and even when he reached his room and looked in on Ramirez lying on the floor and playing a game of chess against himself, the storm still hadn't broken. The Air Pirate looked curiously at his companion manipulating both sides of the field, and kicking the door shut behind him, he approached.  
  
"What kind of strategy game is it if you already know all the moves your opponent's going to make?" he wondered aloud as he sat down. "Here, let me play you again."  
  
"No; this way, I actually get a challenge," Ramirez replied in a neutral tone as he studied the board.  
  
The Blue Rogue hid his annoyance and protested, "But, c'mon, chess solitaire? How much fun could it be?"  
  
"It's not supposed to be 'fun', it's practice," the former Admiral stated, capturing a black rook with the white Queen. "Chess is a game of war strategy. If you play both sides with no intention of allowing either to lose, then you have to plan each move meticulously carefully. If you have holes in the strategy for one side, you will spot it as you move against yourself, and you will know to defend and attack appropriately." Contemplating the field again, he continued, "I typically stalemate, but I believe that is the best result, personally. I have no desire to let either white or black win, and if either lost, it would clearly be a result of my own carelessness." He took hold of a black knight and said decisively, "I hate myself when I get careless."  
  
Vyse, who had been watching Ramirez with a sort of growing wonder at this ostensible return to his old self, frowned abruptly. "You should _never_ hate yourself," he said just as decisively. "Everybody makes mistakes. It's part of life. The important thing is to always accept who you are, and if there's a part of you that you start to dislike, change it to something you _do_ like."  
  
The pale-haired Silvite gave Vyse a withering glare and returned to his game without a word.  
  
Wondering helplessly if it was at all possible to say the right thing to Ramirez, the Blue Rogue instead cleared his throat and said, "Anyway, you should finish up soon. We need to get our stuff together."  
  
The Silvite glanced up in surprise. "Yes?"  
  
"Seems like the Armada's heading here soon," he explained. "We don't want to be here for that."  
  
Ramirez's eyelids dropped slightly. "Ah, I see." He gazed down at the board, resting his chin on his folded hands. There were several more seconds of silence before he softly suggested, "Leave me behind."  
  
The Air Pirate's response was both immediate and predictable: "No, never."  
  
"It would be easier for you, wouldn't it?" the shorter swordsman argued patiently. "You can leave me to the mercies of the Armada. They _are_ my people, so to speak, to an extent."  
  
"But you defected," Vyse argued back.  
  
"For you, yes," Ramirez blandly replied with a nod. "But you're already free, a few hitchhikes away from your base and your friends. You don't need to feel obliged to block me from my ultimate fate any longer."  
  
"Does friendship mean anything to you at _all_?"  
  
"You should already know the answer to that," the Silvite said flatly.  
  
The Blue Rogue shook his head firmly. "No, I don't know at all," he said grimly. "I don't understand you at all. I think I've finally realized that. I don't understand why you would reject my offers to accept you and go back to Galcian if friendship and love are more important to you. I can't understand why you would decide not to kill me and even spare my life if your duties are more important to you." He shook his head and sighed. "Ramirez, just like you kept saying, I don't understand. But right now, I can live with not understanding. Right now, I just want to help you."  
  
"There's something wholly irrational about wanting to help someone who nearly killed you," the Silvite noted coldly.  
  
"Look, you've proved nicely that, yes, I _am_ an idiot," Vyse said impatiently. "So I'd appreciate it if you'd stop rubbing it in. I. Am. Not. Leaving you here! So c'mon!"  
  
Ramirez gazed at the stubborn rogue with dark eyes, but rose and began to put away the chess pieces. "How will we be leaving?" he asked quietly.  
  
"We'll have to stow aboard one of the ships at the docks," the Blue Rogue replied as he gathered together the things he'd bought the day before. "I had someone helping me out, but he couldn't find us a ride soon enough, and with the Armada coming..."  
  
"It may be a false rumor," the Silvite suggested, handing him the chess set.  
  
"I'd rather not risk it," Vyse replied, taking and packing it. He glanced out the windows; he would have heard it if it had started raining, but he wanted to check visually anyway, and it looked like it hadn't yet begun. "Get dressed, okay? We'll go after it starts raining...go under the cover of the storm. It looks it'll be a downpour, and nobody will see us sneaking around in that."  
  
The former Admiral nodded, slightly surprised by the Blue Rogue's planning, and did as he was told.  
  
"I bought some extra things of clothes," Vyse mentioned as he passed a few of the bags to Ramirez. "We can change into those once we've safely stowed away."  
  
"Right..." Ramirez said vaguely, returning to a cagey demeanor as he accepted the packages.  
  
Vyse frowned slightly at his unenthusiastic reply, but whatever comment he had to make was cut short by a sharp clap of thunder and the sound of rainwater suddenly striking the roof, windows and street, and from that moment on, they were both silent. They waited perhaps a half hour before setting out, the Air Pirate leaving behind at the innkeeper's counter several extra gold, a smile and a "We never stayed here" before they went. The former Admiral glanced at that scene, and thought fleetingly of how, a few weeks ago, seeing that would have lowered his opinion of Vyse, but now, he wasn't sure what was to be admired and what was to be reviled anymore...  
  
They were both thoroughly soaked within ten seconds of stepping outside, but hunching over to protect their parcels, the two young men walked quickly through the slick streets, followed by rolls of thunder.  
  
To Ramirez, the heavy downpour was almost soothing. It was like an emission from the heavens meant to cleanse the earth, to wipe away all that was filthy and depraved... He almost felt better as the water plastered his hair to his face and seeped through his clothes, soaking his skin. It was as if, if he could stand still and gaze up at the storm clouds long enough, even his dirty hands might be purified.  
  
There were things, however, that no amount of rainwater could wash away.  
  
He followed Vyse to the docks wordlessly; they wouldn't be able to hear each other through this cacophony, anyway. They could barely see each other, and he thought briefly of deliberately separating himself from Vyse...but no, the faithful rogue would certainly seek him once he realized he was gone, and there was no place for the former Admiral to go anyway, either here on Sailor's Isle or indeed anywhere else in the world.  
  
The two made their way to the docks and targeted a small ship at the far left, slightly smaller than the Little Jack and built similarly, and more to try it than expecting it to work, Vyse pulled at the hatch where the ship's lifeboats were likely to be. He was amazed to find that it was unlocked and came up easily, and he and Ramirez snuck inside with nary a hitch. It seemed too easy, and the Blue Rogue wasn't sure whether to be suspicious or guiltily grateful that the ship's owner was so trusting. After quietly shutting the hatch behind them, he took a glance around. There were a pair of lifeboats, naturally, but there was curiously also a large piano in one corner, and in another, a high pile of crates, tall enough and wide enough to hide several people—probably this place was also used as a storage room. Vyse and Ramirez made their way over there, since there were no other hiding places and they didn't dare to explore the rest of the boat, and nestling themselves there with their parcels around them, they sat.  
  
The Blue Rogue was the first to speak. "We should probably change out of these soaked clothes," he said delicately, not wanting to make the suggestion but knowing they couldn't stay drenched.  
  
"You can," the wet Silvite murmured. "I'll stay covered, thank you."  
  
Vyse began to argue, but thought better of it as he rummaged through the clothes bag as silently as possible. He had actually bought clothes with Ramirez in mind, thinking that the notorious former Admiral would need a different look, but he'd have to make do. With a glance at the shorter man, who kept his head hidden between his knees, he began to strip off his sopping garments one by one, ringing them out as best he could and hoping nobody came in and noticed the pools of water. Blushing and hoping his companion wasn't peeking, Vyse even removed his underpants, though he was quick to replace them, and after using one of the spare shirts as a towel, changed into dry clothes. He was without shoes, but that was all right; the Blue Rogue was actually wishing for some warm blankets, but there wasn't any helping that right now. He didn't know where the people who owned this ship were, and it wasn't a good idea to try to rummage through their things lest he get caught.  
  
"You really should change into something dry," he commented softly, settling back down. "You're going to be really uncomfortable in those sopping wet clothes."  
  
"I...would rather not, for reasons I should think are obvious, even to you," Ramirez replied stiffly, and Vyse blushed and didn't chase the subject anymore.  
  
"I don't know where this ship is headed, you know," the Blue Rogue said instead, "but once it gets in the air, I could try to talk to whoever's in it. Doc's boat is near here; I'm sure he'd be glad to let you stay with him."  
  
Vyse's words gave the former Admiral many mixed feelings. He had no desire to see the man he had once considered a friend again; Doc would surely want to talk about Mendosa, and what Ramirez had done to both the late Admiral and his flagship, the Aquila. Those were conversations the Silvite did not want to have... But on the other hand, Doc was probably the only person who _would_ give him sanctuary, if only long enough to confront him about their former mutual employer. If Admiral Mendosa had regarded them both as like his sons, did that make them brothers? It would be like Doc to think so, and even if they got along poorly, he probably wouldn't cast him out after hearing his story, even he heard it from Vyse... It would be a place to stay.  
  
The problem was that Ramirez simply did not want to stay there.  
  
He sighed and shook his head. "What you say may be true, but I have many reasons why I don't want to see his face again," he said with great reluctance—the Silvite swordsman was certain that the brunet rogue would have questions.  
  
And he did, so the expression on his face said clearly, but Vyse merely pursed his lips and let the matter pass. "So then what _are_ you going to do?"  
  
Ramirez shrugged. He already had a perfectly viable solution, but the Blue Rogue had made it quite clear on several occasions that he didn't want to hear about it.  
  
"...Maybe we should think about that later," Vyse murmured, perhaps sensing the answer that his companion had given many times before. "There should still be a few things of food left in the packages we brought, but I'm not hungry right now. If you want to go ahead and eat, I'm not stopping you."  
  
The damp swordsman murmured something that Vyse couldn't hear in reply, and the Blue Rogue stretched out onto his back, folding his arms under his head, with a small, tired exhalation. Perhaps he'd take a small nap, get some of his energy back; he hadn't gotten as much sleep as he'd have liked on their first night at Sailor's Isle, and in these dry clothes, with the somnolent sound of the storm around him, it sure would feel nice, even if it was this cold...  
  
He was snoring within five minutes.  
  
Ramirez watched him carefully for nearly fifteen minutes more after that before cautiously getting to his feet and rummaging through the parcel from which Vyse had gotten his clothes. Although he enjoyed his privacy, he didn't enjoy sitting in drenched clothes, and if the Blue Rogue were asleep, though it was still embarrassing, he could use this opportunity.  
  
Ilazki waited patiently for him as he changed and even had the boldness to search a few of the crates for towels or a blanket. He found none of the former and only one of the latter, and spread it gently over Vyse; in most of the crates, he had found musical instruments and spare materials for their repair and upkeep. The Silvite had a strong feeling he knew whose ship this was, and he wasn't sure whether to dread or rejoice meeting that woman's friend, who had sworn to take revenge on him...  
  
Swiping away the water that had collected on the wooden floorboards and grabbing a few things to eat, Ramirez picked a resting spot at Vyse's feet and began to watch him sleep. There was a certain pleasure in gazing at his peaceful face, and the Silvite youth smiled slightly while he gazed at the Blue Rogue. He wouldn't mind nodding off, either, but he didn't want to risk being caught unawares by the owners of this ship.  
  
He sat with his chin resting on his knees and his arms wrapped around his legs, watching over Vyse. Somehow, he felt better—perhaps it was the lengths to which the Air Pirate was going for him; perhaps he was beginning to accept that he would not be loved. But whatever the reason why, Ramirez watched over Vyse calmly, only moving to munch on an apple or an orange or a piece of bread.  
  
Over an hour passed that way, but for the food, which was consumed before the first twenty minutes were over. The storm was still raging outside, and it didn't sound like anyone had come near this area of the boat. Ramirez wondered for a while if he should try to clean up rest of the water around them, but his indifference to his fate idly suggested that he sit where he was and continue watching his slumbering companion, and since he knew that woman wouldn't allow Vyse to be hurt, he heeded its advice.  
  
The second hour had just passed when the Blue Rogue's previously serene sleep became disturbed. A shadow of fear darkened his tranquil expression, and sweat beaded on his forehead as he began to stir, in the throes of what Ramirez knew must be a nightmare. When Vyse began to whimper, on the verge of thrashing, the former Admiral leaned forward on his knees and reached out to touch him out of concern—but he pulled away and retreated back to the corner with Ilazki, his gloom returning. Considering all that had happened recently, Vyse's nightmare was likely to be about him; he had no right to try to comfort or awaken him...  
  
A sudden noise pulled Ramirez's attention away from his companion: the noise of the door to the cargo hold opening and someone walking in. He grabbed his silver sword by the sheath immediately, heart thumping as he listened to the person journey to the center of the room, perhaps ten feet away from where he was hiding, and stop. The storm was loud, but Vyse had making a good bit of noise himself, and Ramirez wasn't willing to bet that he wouldn't be heard. There was also the matter of the rainwater that would be pooling around where they were...  
  
There was a small laugh, a kind one, a male one, as that person walked with heavy feet toward the crates. The former Admiral was nearly certain it was the ex-rebel...  
  
"Stowaways, huh?" That clinched it. That was his voice, and in a moment, he wouldn't sound so friendly. "C'mon out, I won't hurt you. Unless, of course, you give me good reason."  
  
/_Good reason would, in my case, include existing, no doubt,_/ Ramirez mentally muttered. He would have much preferred not getting killed by someone who hated him as wildly as that man did. But now that they were found, there was no helping a confrontation, and the former Admiral would have to take what he could get. At least this way, he reflected mildly, Vyse couldn't revile him for committing suicide, although to him, sacrificing his life to protect him would probably amount to the same thing...  
  
And so Ramirez stood, bearing only Ilazki in his right hand and a reckless plan in his mind, and stepped out from behind the crates.  
  
The dark-haired man before him, Miran, looked surprised, but his expression changed very quickly to one of murderous intent, and quickly and quietly, he drew three throwing daggers from his coat and held them out before him.  
  
"Why," he said with his teeth bared, "fancy meeting _you_ here."  
  
"I, too..." Ramirez replied evenly, raising his sword in front of his chest, "am quite taken aback to see you." And with that, he very deliberately dropped his weapon.  
  
Behind him, Vyse whimpered again, still locked inside of a nightmare.  


* * *

  
**NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal Arcadia_ [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong.  
  
**Ayu:** OCs are a pain. I realized/remembered recently that Valuans tend to have Spanish names, and nobody among Arianne and company has such a name. Arianne and Miran more or less can't be changed since they've had pretty major scenes. The other three, to whom far less attention has been paid, and Miran's late brother and best friend, can have their names changed to something more suitable. Guide for next chapter: Arthur—Fidel, Noelle—Tierra, Catalina—Rosalind, Leo/Leonidas—Leo/Leonardo, Jake/Jacob—Juan. We'll assume Arianne and Miran's parents were being weird when they named them. e_e  
  
**Ayu:** The lyric-title this time is taken from _Romancing Train_, the second ED to _Final Fantasy: Unlimited_. Full lyrics can be found, as always, at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!_, the link to which you can (indirectly) find below.  
  
**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com**  
Contact Ianthe of d.I:** ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))  
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net))


	16. Chapter 16: Sora ha Hateshinai, Kokoro n...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  
**Chapter 16:** Sora ha Hateshinai, Kokoro no Kagami Dakara ne  
(The Sky is Endless, Because It's a Mirror of My Heart, Right?)  
*This chapter rated R for language  


  
  
  
  
  
_He had never seen anything so beautiful. Petals from all the loveliest flowers in the world were in the air, falling like snow, blowing in the breeze around him like a spring storm. As he walked, smiling and gazing around him in wonder, they danced, and a sound like peaceful music or children's laughter surrounded him. It was amazing. It was breathtaking. He kept journeying forward, and the flowerstorm eventually gave way when he found himself at the foot of a tree. It was a spectacular tree, lush with pink flowers so pale they were almost white, and the blossoms were fluttering from the branches and to the ground, as if the tree were carpeting the world with its fragile bloom. With a small laugh, he walked up to the tree and, gazing up at its boughs, gently touched its trunk. There was such an aura of peace here, as if there was nothing bad or hurtful anymore, as if anyone who reached this place could know tranquility, no matter who or what they were... _

_He took a step backwards, and almost stumbled. Glancing at his feet, he noticed something he hadn't seen while beholding the tree's delicate pink blossoms—there was a mound at the tree's roots. There were several of them, actually. They were perhaps two and a half feet wide, and over twice as long. He knelt to give them a closer look, and when he gently scraped away a thin layer of petals and soil, he somehow realized it._

_These were graves._

_Vyse stood abruptly, filled with alarm in spite of the atmosphere of serenity around this place. Death was death, after all, no matter what its feel, and he certainly didn't want to hang out where corpses rested. He turned away from the tree and ran, and ran, and ran, the calm becoming replaced by misery, the light and warmth becoming replaced by dark and cold, and when he finally stopped and turned around, the tree was far away, atop a hill still surrounded by rays of sunlight. He, however, was underneath an overcast sky, and with a morose rumble, a tear-like shower began to fall, creating a misty rain that permeated his skin, clothes and hair. It was wholly depressing, and the Blue Rogue stood there for a long time, looking at the death-tree while standing still under the rainclouds._

_"You were there," someone said quietly. Vyse glanced to his left, and Ramirez was there, also gazing at the tree atop the hill. "You got close enough to touch it."_

_Vyse didn't answer. He didn't know what to say._

_Ramirez switched his gaze to the brunet rogue, and though he was smiling, his green eyes were filled with an acute sadness. "I want to go there," he said. "It always rains here. I'm always cold here. I'm always alone here."_

_"Ramirez..." the Blue Rogue murmured, turning to face his companion. "Ramirez, hey, I'm here now. You're not alone anymore."_

_The damp Silvite laughed a soft laugh and raised a hand to touch Vyse's scar. The rogue flinched and almost took a step backward, but he stood his ground, and Ramirez stroked his cheek lightly. "You say these things that you don't mean... We really are a lot alike, Vyse. I stand close to you and pretend not to care about you when I really love you... You stand close to me and pretend to love me when you really don't care."_

_"That's not true," the Blue Rogue argued, taking a step closer. Ramirez moved backwards a step in turn, and he continued, "I care about you a lot, Rami. But...but it's hard, sometimes. You hurt me."_

_"You hurt me too," Ramirez replied, his voice surprisingly tender. "Without even realizing it, you hurt me too..."_

_"I..." Vyse whispered, the rain plastering his bangs to his face._

_The Silvite raised his other hand, his left hand, and cupped Vyse's face between it and the one stroking his scar. "But it's all right," he said. "It's all...all right. Will you just...do me one favor, though?"_

_Dread welling in his heart, the Air Pirate asked, "What?"_

_Somehow, he couldn't take his eyes off of Ramirez's lips as they formed the words, "Please, kill me."_

_"...I—I can't," Vyse choked, feeling paralyzed. "I can't—kill you..."_

_"Why?"_

_"I—I just," he managed to say, "can't."_

_The former Admiral didn't stop smiling, but something about him grew profoundly sadder, so much so that it was palpable, even to the Blue Rogue. Vyse reached out hesitantly to take Ramirez in his arms, but his limbs froze partway, and he stood there, a statue of uncertainty as his brown eyes gazed down at the Silvite's pale, wet face._

_Around them, a roll of thunder rumbled, and a flash of lightning branched in the sky shortly afterwards. The rainfall intensified, and Ramirez stepped forward, sliding his arms around Vyse's neck and leaning his body against his chest. "Kill me," he whispered, sliding his head onto the rogue's shoulder, his lips on his neck. "Please, kill me..."_

_Vyse's arms were still frozen, halfway to embracing the Silvite who clung to him. But fear held him, and he couldn't move at all, either forward or back. "I can't," he whispered in return, turning his brown eyes to the sobbing heavens. "Don't ask this of me..."_

_Ramirez took a step backward, his arms still hooked around the pirate's neck, and softly said, "I want you to kill me, Vyse. Please... Living on is too absurd. At the very least, I want to die by your hand."_

_"No!" the handsome brunet shouted, his exclamation strengthened by a thunderclap and then a quick flash of lightning. "I won't! I won't do it!!"_

_"Please...take me to that tree," he pleaded. "I don't care how you do it, but please..."_

_"NO!" Vyse screamed, now pushing him away, sending him stumbling back._

_The Silvite righted himself quickly, and stared at the rogue blankly. "If you won't take me," he said, "then I suppose I have no choice but to go myself."_

_And with that, he broke into a sprint for the distant tree._

_The action was so sudden, that Vyse was left standing, dumbfounded, for several seconds before he picked up the slack and chased after Ramirez with all his strength, losing some of his momentum when he screamed, "WAIT!!"_

_Ramirez of course did not wait. He ran and ran and ran, and Vyse ran and ran and ran after him, until they both reached the tree of death, completely dry. The former Admiral spun around, drawing his silver sword as he did so, and lunged for the Air Pirate. Vyse, out of instinct, drew his cutlasses and parried. One highly skilled blade attacked two lesser skilled blades, and there was a brief scuffle before Ramirez took three quick steps backwards, drawing Vyse in._

_The Blue Rogue took the bait and followed. Their swords met again in a brilliant clash, and the young Silvite retreated again, his back to the tree. Vyse moved forward—and tripped on one of the mounds, his right cutlass pointing straight out as he stumbled._

_It struck home powerfully, embedding itself through Ramirez's chest and pinning him to the lovely tree behind him. There was a magnificent spray of blood, which rained down on both of them, and it seeped into the ground beneath them. The blossoms turned a more vibrant hue of pink as the roots drank in the crimson liquid, and Vyse watched the spectacle with mounting horror._

_He stared up at Ramirez, who gazed back at him lovingly and reached out his hands to touch Vyse's._

_"I—I—I didn't mean it," the Blue Rogue croaked, accepting the touch desperately. "I didn't mean it!!"_

_The silver-haired man smiled warmly and lifted their hands. "Thank you," he whispered. And then he closed his eyes, and his head tilted toward his shoulder, both of which sagged along with his arms._

_"No," the rogue denied with a shake of his head. "Hey..." He shook Ramirez's relaxed shoulders. "This—this isn't funny, okay? Open your eyes!" Vyse tried to ignore the nausea that was threatening to rise up his throat, and he grabbed the hilt of his cutlass and pulled fiercely. It stayed where it was; it was as if the tree had grabbed hold of it and refused to let go._

_Death was like that. It had embraced Ramirez...and Ramirez, accepting Vyse's rejection, had embraced it back._

_"This...isn't...fair," Vyse whispered, as if the Silvite could still hear him. "How can one person be so important that you can't live without them? It's not right! You shouldn't be so dependent! You shouldn't...you shouldn't...oh, Moons..."_

_He covered his mouth with one hand as he retched, squeezing his eyes tight to ward off tears. Vyse leaned forward, and he noticed that Ramirez smelled of the tiny pink flowers surrounding them. It was a divine scent; it made him feel sicker._

_"Please...don't die..." Vyse begged. The only reply was a soft breeze that brushed through Ramirez's hair, stroking it upwards and lifting the petals into the heavens. The bloodied rogue looked sharply up after them, as they climbed into the firmament. The sky was so clear, so blue; it was like looking into another world, perhaps the next world...and the pale pink petals that flew on the zephyr into that infinite azure were like tiny spirits journeying to that happier place. It was all so peaceful, as if those suffering from the affliction called "life" were at long last free._

_Vyse stepped back from the tree and dropped his gaze back down to Ramirez, who still smiled serenely, his previous melancholy having vanished. His face...it was of one that was finally seeing the end of a bad dream._

_He had never seen anything so beautiful._

_He had never seen anything so horrible._

Vyse's eyelids flew open, and almost wildly, he flung off the blanket covering him, not yet lucid enough to wonder why it had been there in the first place. He looked around frantically, and when he didn't see his silver-haired companion, his fear intensified.

"Ramirez?!" he shouted, getting to his feet.

"Over here," his companion's quiet voice sounded from the other side of the crates, and in a flood of relief, the Blue Rogue quickly stepped out from behind them.

"I just wanted to see where you—" he began, but he abruptly broke off in amazement as he saw not just Ramirez, but Miran and Arianne, the former of whom was glaring balefully at Ramirez, who returned the gaze but not its intensity, and the latter of whom was glancing between the two men fretfully.

Suddenly, it occurred to Vyse exactly why there was a piano in the cargo hold. It also occurred to him to wonder why he hadn't realized it sooner.  
  
  
  
"I, too..." Ramirez replied evenly, raising his sword in front of his chest, "am quite taken aback to see you." And with that, he very deliberately dropped his weapon.

Miran's eyebrows went up in surprise and puzzlement. "What're you playing at?" he demanded suspiciously, not withdrawing his weapons but not moving to attack. There was no satisfaction in getting revenge against someone who didn't fight back, after all.

"If you wish to kill me, by all means, do so," the former Admiral said blandly. "You'll be doing my former employers a favor. In all honesty, I am quite happy to give you my life. But in return for dying without a fuss, I have a small request."

"What the hell makes you think I'd listen to any request of _yours_?" the ex-rebel snarled, narrowing his dark eyes, though his curiosity was sparked by the swordsman's use of '_former employers_'. /_Not that anything he says is worth trusting, but his story might be amusing,_/ Miran thought with macabre mirth.__

Ramirez held up his hands, palms flat in a gesture of surrender. "I said that it's a small thing, and I don't think you'll find it disagreeable," he said, still blandly. "I stole aboard your boat along with Vyse—the brown-haired Air Pirate who interfered with our fight last time we met," he added for clarification. "Aside from keeping you from killing me, he has borne you no grudge. If you could take him as far as Crescent Isle, which is to the north of Nasrad, then kill me as much as you like. But do it quickly, if you please; Vyse is asleep now, but I don't know for how long. If he sees you threatening my life, he'll be sure to try to stop you."

"I'll kill you at my own pace, you bastard, and if _Vyse_ interferes, I'll kill him too," the black-haired man sneered.

The Silvite's green eyes flashed, but the passion was momentary. "You're very violent for a man who travels with a pacifist," he commented.

"Arianne's a fool," Miran scowled, catching the reference immediately. "Nothing ever gets accomplished if you sit around talking. If I weren't around to protect her, she would have been dead a long time ago."

"If her views are so detestable to you, then why bother to protect her at all?" Ramirez queried.

The former terrorist pointed his daggers at the ex-Admiral's throat. "_That_ is none of your goddamn business," he snarled, his eyebrows almost touching.

"Perhaps not," the Silvite agreed with a curt nod, "but it's interesting nonetheless. You said she and your brother were in love? I imagine she's something akin to family to you, in that case. Funny thing, family, and how it makes us think we owe certain people anything. So does that make Arianne your younger sister?"

"Fuck you," Miran growled.

"If you don't like her, you should just get rid of her," Ramirez continued blithely. "Do you really have any obligation to stay with her? Ah, wait," he added, peering at the Lower Valuan, "as I recall, judging from your ranting the last time we met, you were quite fond of your younger brother. And she was his lover, so you protect her in honor of his memory. How...touching."

"Fuck YOU!!" Miran screamed, hurling a dagger at the Silvite. It missed him badly, the aim thrown off by the deliverer's rage, and thunked into the wood of the crates behind Ramirez.

Ramirez didn't as much as flinch, but he did turn his head sharply toward the door when someone opened it and walked in.

He and Miran both froze, staring at Arianne, who looked terribly surprised to see the man who had arrested her lover being threatened by her late lover's older brother. She also looked quite disheveled, and judging from her nightgown, her sleep had probably been interrupted.

The blonde Valuan was the first to speak. "Ramirez..." she began quietly and not without fear, "what are you doing here?"

Before he could answer, there was a noise behind them of someone throwing a blanket against a wall and someone scrabbling to his feet, and Vyse's voice frantically called, "Ramirez?!"

"Over here," the Silvite said without raising his voice, meeting Miran's glare dispassionately.

There was a sigh of relief, and Vyse said as he walked around the crates, "I just wanted to see where you—"

He stopped as soon as he was in full view, and Ramirez supposed he didn't blame him. The last time he had seen Miran and Arianne, the former had been trying to kill him, and Vyse was trying ever so hard to prevent his death...

This time, Vyse was the first to find his voice. "Well..." he said, looking as if he had been offered a sweet that might be poisoned. "I think it might be best if we all sat down and started explaining things."

"This guy as much as said he quit the Armada," Miran said abruptly, indicating Ramirez with a waved dagger. "That true?"

"Er—" the Blue Rogue said. "Uh...yeah. He defected, to be more accurate."

"Why?"

"I don't feel like telling you," Ramirez cut in, an edge finally coming to his voice.

Miran narrowed his eyes, but before he could speak, Arianne walked quickly over to him and grabbed onto his sleeve, silencing him with a stern look.

What happened next was a complete mystery to Vyse. Arianne turned her gaze at Ramirez, then glanced pointedly at the brunet rogue and arched an eyebrow. Ramirez scowled and looked away from both Vyse and Arianne toward the door. The pianist averted her gray eyes to the floor, then murmured, "Miran, that part...doesn't have anything to do with you." Looking up at the Silvite, she added, "Or me." She sighed and took a step in Vyse's direction, continuing, "So let's just ask about what brought you two aboard my ship in the first place."

"Er...sorry about that," Vyse apologized, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's something of a long story..."

He told them an edited version of what had happened, glancing furtively every so often at Ramirez, who still kept his eyes on the door. Arianne and even Miran listened patiently, though the latter often looked skeptical at certain parts. When the Air Pirate finally finished, the 28-year-old former rebel was the first to speak, and his words were not encouraging to the young rogue.

"Do you _really_ expect us to believe that?" he demanded, crossing his arms, the daggers in his right hand tucked under his arm. "That that Armada bastard just decided, 'I don't want to kill my friend, so I'll throw away my entire military career to make sure he lives!'? What kind of suckers do you take us for? Tell us the _real_ story."

A flash of guilt skipped across Vyse's face, but Arianne shook her head.

"Leave him be, Miran," she said quietly. "Perhaps he told the truth, perhaps he didn't. But it doesn't change that they're here, in front of us. Getting angry and demanding an explanation after he already gave us one is pointless."

"Arianne!" the dark brown-haired man protested. "You can't possibly be serious!" He jabbed a finger at Ramirez. "He's a killer, and you know it. You can't possibly accept him aboard the Nightingale without a satisfactory explanation of why the hell he's here!"

The blonde woman gazed up at her companion calmly. "Aren't you a killer, too?" she queried quietly. "And have you already forgotten the circumstances under which _we_ met?"

Miran opened his mouth, shut it, opened it again. "That's not—completely beside the point—you don't—" he blustered, growing red in the face, then finally shook his head in disgust. "Fine. _Fine_!" the dark-eyed man yelled, nearly shoving the daggers in his hand back into his coat. "Do whatever the hell you want, then! Who the hell cares if you're giving Leo's murderer sanctuary, anyway!!"

"Technically, I only arrested him; it was someone else who executed him," Ramirez commented in a low voice, but Miran, who was halfway to storming out of the room, didn't respond.

The door opened before the ex-terrorist could reach it, and he retreated a step when he saw his other three companions.

"Miran, what's going on?" Fidel yawned, rubbing at his eyes. "The girls and I heard noises in here... You aren't chewing Arianne out again, are you? What'd she do this time?"

"Get out of my way," he snapped, his dark eyes narrowing with anger.

Startled by the taller man's hostility, Fidel wordless stepped aside, wide-eyed. Rosalind, behind him, wasn't so eager to submit, though, and setting her hands on her hips, she and Tierra blocked Miran's way.

"What is going on?" the blonde violinist demanded, blue eyes unyielding.

Before Miran could respond, though, Tierra had glanced past him into the room and spied the Silvite, who now kept his eyes fixed away from everyone nearby, and in surprised, she shouted, "Hey, it's Ramirez, that man who fought Miran on Sailor's Isle!"

Rosalind and Fidel immediately crowded over to Tierra's side to see, and Miran used that to walk past them with a snort of disgust. The male violinist glanced at him as he passed with a sound of worry, but the older man ignored him, and Fidel reluctantly switched his attention to his female companions, who had gone in ahead of him.

"What in the _world_ are these two men doing here, Arianne?" Rosalind was demanding in disbelief.

"They're stowaways," she replied quietly.

"So throw them out!" the first-violinist said hotly.

The flaxen-haired pianist shook her head. "They don't have a ship of their own right now, they can't find a ride with anyone else, and apparently the Armada is coming here soon, so they have to leave as soon as possible."

"Wait, wait," Fidel interjected, stepping forward. "I can understand Vyse, a wanted Air Pirate, needing to get out of Sailor's Isle, but why Ramirez, too? He's an Admiral."

"Not anymore," Arianne refuted. "He's gone absent without leave."

"_AWOL_?" Rosalind repeated with a short, incredulous laugh. "_Him_? Somehow, I can't believe it, after what I've heard. But never mind that! Why are you letting him stay on the Nightingale, anyway? My father and elder brother are both in the Armada, as you well know, and they've told me stories about that fiend. They say he's brilliant, but dangerous and nearly unhinged, and anyone who's ever dared to cross him has ended up dead or maimed!"

"Um, Rosalind, I don't think—" Tierra began to interject, but Ramirez himself cut her off.

"If you believe those stories at all," the former Admiral said frigidly, glaring at her with hard eyes, "then you should silence yourself immediately, lest I do it for you."

The indigo-eyed violinist, apparently acknowledging the Silvite's presence for the first time, made a sound akin to a mouse being trod on, and shut up. Vyse flashed the white-haired man an angry glance, but the ex-Admiral had returned to fixing his gaze at no one and either didn't notice or simply pretended not to.

The brunette cellist stepped forward, albeit nervously, along with the second-violinist. "Arianne," the former said, glancing periodically at Ramirez, "are...are you sure this is wise? If they're on the run from the Armada, maybe we shouldn't get involved..."

The pianist woman gazed at her friend with an unreadable expression, then requested softly as if her friend hadn't said anything at all, "Tierra, could you please tell Miran to prepare to set off? We should leave as soon as the storm lets up." She then shifted her gray gaze to the aqua-eyed violinist and continued, "Fidel, if you don't mind terribly, could you find Vyse and Ramirez some more comfortable accommodations?"

Both Tierra and Fidel seemed to mind terribly, judging by how the former bit her lower lip and averted her eyes, and the latter shifted his weight and scratched his neck. Neither was as off-put as Rosalind, however, who recovered from her fear of Ramirez in time to protest, "Arianne, they aren't our problem! Just kick them off!"

"Rosalind, you know very well that I am not in the practice of forsaking those in need," the long-haired pianist reminded her companion.

"Yes, but helping a man like _that_—like _both_ of them!—is like giving a pair of scorpions a drink of water out of your hands!" the azure-eyed Upper Valuan argued, pointing accusatorily at Vyse and Ramirez. "Do you really expect them not to sting you once they've had their fill?!"

"Hey, how am _I_ like a scorpion?" the Blue Rogue protested, affronted, but before Rosalind could snap an answer back at him, Arianne stepped in between them both.

"All Vyse wants," she said patiently to her fellow blonde, "is a ride until a place called Crescent Isle, which is located to the north of Nasrad. It's rather out of the way for us, but we could always visit Nasrad while we're there."

"Ha, it's just a pile of rubble now, _also_ thanks to that man," Rosalind said haughtily, jerking her head toward Ramirez. "What about compensation, hmm?"

"Once I'm back at Crescent Isle, I can pay you guys for your trouble," Vyse interjected. "It's just that I'm a little short right now, considering the situation."

"As he said, though I don't think it's necessary," Arianne nodded. "Vyse, when you get the chance, please explain to them what's going on. In return, Tierra, Fidel, if you two could please do as I asked earlier? And Rosalind, if you wouldn't mind bringing them some warm blankets as well." She glanced at the floor where rainwater still pooled, and continued, "I'll stay here and clean up."

"Arianne, are—" Tierra began, then cut herself off with a shake of her head. "All right," she acquiesced, turning to leave.

With an annoyed sigh, Rosalind also went to grab sleeping gear, as Arianne went to mop up the water. Fidel glanced at Ramirez and Vyse, then turned for the door with a meek, "Follow me, please." The brunet rogue glanced at his companion worriedly, but the former Admiral merely stooped to retrieve his sword and followed the violinist, and so the Air Pirate did so as well.

"There's not a lot of room on this ship," Fidel said apologetically as they walked through the short, wooden hallways. "There's barely enough room for the five of us, to tell the truth—less than enough room, if you listen to Rosalind."

"Don't worry, I've had to sleep in the engine room before, so if that's the only place left, I'll take it," Vyse grinned. "And Ramirez hardly ever sleeps anyway, so it doesn't matter where you set _him_ up."

The yellow-haired man smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, that makes things a little easier... Miran probably wouldn't mind _you_, Vyse, but..." He glanced nervously at Ramirez, who said nothing.

"Yeah, I can understand that," the Blue Rogue said sympathetically. "I heard from Ramirez about how he arrested Miran's brother... I don't blame the guy from hating him, really."

The white-haired swordsman uttered nothing as they reached the engine room and entered. The room was quiet, which wasn't surprising, seeing as the boat was docked and thus the engine wasn't running.

"What's the whole story, though?" Vyse inquired. "Ramirez didn't tell us any more than that..."

"You should probably ask Miran that yourself," Fidel replied. "Moons know he's touchy enough about it already without me going and accidentally saying something unnecessary... Anyway, Rosa should be around to help you two out soon, so I'll talk to you in the morning?"

With a grin, the Blue Rogue nodded. "Yeah, sure! Thanks, Fidel!"

The shorter man smiled almost shyly and nodded back before leaving the two to get acquainted with their lodgings. The former Admiral immediately chose a spot against the wall and sank down against it, closing his eyes wearily.

Vyse sat down next to him, though a respectable distance away, further from the silent engine, which would surely be making a lot of noise later. "If you're tired, you could just lie down and try to go to sleep," he suggested, trying to be helpful. "If you're worried about Miran, I'll stay up and keep watch. I already got at least an hour or two of sleep, anyway."

"It's...all right," Ramirez murmured. "I appreciate the offer, but I won't be getting any sleep tonight regardless. You may as well get some sleep while it's still not noisy."

"Okay," the Blue Rogue agreed, not wanting to push it. "Don't stay up for too long, though, okay?"

"I've gone several days on end without proper sleep," the Silvite replied emotionlessly; "you don't need to worry."

Vyse opened his mouth to reply, but Rosalind entered then with a bundle of blankets and pillows in her arms. She eyed Ramirez warily, walked over near the two, and dropped her load unceremoniously onto the floor.

"Good night," she said stiffly before turning on her heel and marching out, her loose blonde hair trailing behind her.

"Real friendly," Vyse joked halfheartedly as he reached for the bed-things and handed some to his companion as soon as she'd gone. "Charming, too."

Ramirez murmured something in non-reply, and the two fell into silence as Vyse made himself comfortable. He didn't fall asleep so soon this time, though, as he thought of his morbid dream from just a short while ago...

He glanced at Ramirez worriedly. Unlike most of his sailor brethren, Vyse wasn't a particularly superstitious lad, but he could help but feel uneasy due to that horrid nightmare. He wondered where that inverted image of life and death came from; that certainly wasn't how _he_ thought of the two!

/_Maybe I'm starting to think like him..._/ he frowned pensively, watching his companion, who was gazing in the opposite direction at the engine. /_Moons know the way he talks about death being the solution to all his problems, something like that would turn up in my dreams..._/

The rogue rolled over, turning his back to Ramirez, and thought on restlessly, /_...I wonder what I'm going to do with him... What _can_ I do with him? He said he doesn't want to stay with Doc, Miran'll kill him if he stays here, Aika'll kill him if I bring him to Crescent Isle, and he'll kill himself if I leave him alone..._/ He sighed to himself. /_Not like I _could_ just dump him here! He's my responsibility; it's my fault all of this happened. If I hadn't brought him aboard the Delphinus in the first place... No point in regretting it now, though. I've just got to take responsibility._/ Vyse made a face at the wall. /_I don't know who Aika will be angrier at, me or him, but I can't do anything but bring him to Crescent Isle. We can use his old room as a prison cell; he probably won't run away, and all we'd have to worry about is him dying on us..._/

The Air Pirate tugged his blanket up closer and thought fretfully, /_I don't know if it's worth it to keep trying to keep him from killing himself. I hate it, but he's so damned insistent! I can't keep watching him forever... If I made him promise not to do anything stupid, there's nothing keeping him from breaking his promise, and once _he's_ dead, he doesn't have to deal with it anymore. I don't... I won't be able to stand it if he commits suicide! But—if he's really determined...what am I supposed to do?_/ Swallowing hard, Vyse thought, /_Well, if he hasn't slit his throat while I was asleep yet, I guess the best thing I _can_ do is keep him around... It's a nuisance, but I don't know what else I'm supposed to do... It's not as if I can return his feelings..._/

But even as he thought so, the memory of Ramirez crushing Vyse's lips with his own flitted through the brunet's mind, summoning a flush of blood to his face. It definitely wasn't how he'd imagined his first kiss on the off-times throughout adolescence when he'd wondered what the act was like and with whom he'd like to try it. First of all, he'd always assumed he'd be kissing a _girl_...

/_Not to mention that it'd be a mutual thing,_/ he added mentally, surreptitiously glancing over his shoulder at the silent swordsman, who was staring off into space. /_And that I wouldn't be kissing someone who was going to hand me over to the Valuans for execution... Well, Ramirez let me go, but still..._/

Lowering his head, the brunet pirate bit his lower lip in recollection of the forced kiss. It had hardly been sexy, let alone romantic, and when it happened, his brain had gone numb, but he couldn't help but get worked up over it now that he was reminiscing on it. And he couldn't understand why—after all, he wasn't gay, right? Just because he was thinking about Ramirez _that way_ didn't mean anything—probably everybody thought something like that once or twice in their lives! And at the time, the Silvite had been pretty close to him, or so he'd thought... And if he was going to date any guy at all, Vyse admitted, he'd probably pick his silver-haired companion first, all considering...

/_Not like that'll ever happen, though,_/ he mentally amended, rolling his brown eyes slightly. /_It'll never happen..._/

His somnolence began to return, and his eyelids grew heavy as he yawned and continued, /_Rami and I are too different. I still don't understand why he let me go when he was on the verge of handing me over to Galcian and the Empire... What _does_ he _really_ care about? If, on some off-chance, Galcian approached him again and offered to forget his mistakes and let him come back, would Ramirez rejoin him? Would he betray me again? I just don't know..._/

With a wide yawn, Vyse settled onto his spot and let his thoughts drift, though they still orbited around Ramirez, as he floated into the sky of sleep...

The Silvite, in the meantime, stayed up the entire night. Though his doubts and self-hatred continued to plague him, he managed to silence it, as he always did, by practicing his training. That night, he combined his swordplay with his mental training, meditating until he blanked his mind of all unnecessary thought, and then moving into swordplay after swordplay, swiftly and silently, like a potentially lethal dance, letting practice-honed instinct take over his consciousness and drive away his desolation.  
  
  
  
After Arianne had finished wiping up the water and brought Vyse's things to the engine room, watching Ramirez train silently for a moment before leaving the bags at the door without a word, she headed back to the small bedroom she shared with Tierra and Rosalind. She was intercepted along the way, however, by Miran, who was frowning deeply, his dark brown eyes hardened.

"I'm not sailing anywhere with that bastard on my ship," he snapped, not bothering with small talk.

"The Nightingale is _my_ ship, not yours," the grey-eyed woman replied quietly. "And it's not for a long time... Just a day and a night once we start sailing."

The dagger wielder's frown became a scowl. "Any second I have to spend near him is a long time," he growled.

She sighed, and said gently, "Miran, can we compromise? Let me help them just this one time. Once we take them to where they need to go, we'll never have anything to do with any of them again. Is that fair?"

The taller man raised a dark eyebrow. "You must know I don't mind helping the Air Pirate, even though he annoys me too," he said, his eyes still narrowed. "Blue Rogue jackass, thinking he's doing the world some good by stealing from Upper Valuans... Not that they'd suffer from it, anyway, Moons forbid, they just make Lower Valuans work harder so they can still laze around on their fat asses all day."

Arianne stared down at her feet, and Miran immediately realized he'd said too much. Swallowing a measure of his pride and resting a hand on his companion's shoulder, he said gently, "Look, I didn't mean _you_... We both know you're not like most Upper Valuans. And yeah, even though I generalized, I know not everyone in Upper Valua's like that, either. You taught me that, okay?" Removing his hand, the ex-insurgent returned to his brusque manner and continued, "But Arianne, there's a difference between Vyse and Ramirez. Vyse, I don't care if he comes or goes, lives or dies. If it were just him, I wouldn't be making this damn fuss! But I can't let Ramirez live. You should hate him, too! It's 'cause of him that Leo's dead!!"

"We've gone over this before, Miran," she murmured, drawing a long lock of hair behind her ear. "Do you think I don't wish things had gone differently, too? If I had known about what he and you and Juan had been doing, maybe I could have helped..."

"You wouldn't have helped and you know it," the dark-haired man stated flatly. "There's nothing you _could_ have done to help even if you weren't such a damn peace lover, anyway."

Pain flashed across Arianne's ash-gray eyes, and she quickly dipped her head to hide it. "I just don't like to see the people I care about get hurt..."

Knowing he was falling into the usual argument and not caring, Miran snapped, "Nothing gets changed if you just sit around talking, Arianne. It's the _actions_ you make that form your future! People remember you for the things you've done, not the words you've said, and for good reason. And you can't revolutionize anything—a country, a civilization, the world, anything—without bloodshed!" Calming down, he muttered, "...In any case, that's not important right now. Ramirez deserves to die. He's killed tons of people, and he'll just keep on killing. Asking him politely to cut it the hell out isn't going to work. If you want the world to be safe, let me kill him!"

"Even if I thought that was an acceptable solution, he's too powerful," Arianne said quietly, still staring at the floor. "You said so too, didn't you? That you'd never be able to beat him...that the best you could hope for was taking him down with you." She sighed heavily. "But that's what you want, isn't it? To go to where Juan and Leo are..."

Miran didn't reply. It was difficult, he knew, to do this to the woman who had almost become his sister-in-law... Her insight into his pain and hatred was amazing, so she had proved when they first met. He'd never expected her to be the lady for whom his younger brother had met—it had been one hell of a coincidence how he picked her ship out of all the ships docked, and hell was precisely what he'd been going through, not to mention what he'd forced upon her...

And yet, even as her three crewmates panicked, she dealt with him as if he was arguing over what kind of biscuit he wanted with his tea. After she had calmed him down and invited him aboard her ship, the Nightingale, in spite of Tierra, Rosalind and Fidel's protests, and they had talked, it became quickly apparent that they had Miran's younger brother, Leonardo, who was called Leo for short by those close to him, in common. That, possibly more than anything, had been what had bridged the gaps between the two—they both had only heard of each other via what Leonardo had conveyed to the other, but even from just that, they knew how much each other meant to the cheerful, dynamic young man who refused to give in to despair...

He, Miran reflected, had always been very unlike his younger brother; perhaps it was because he'd shouldered more responsibility, being the eldest, or perhaps it was simply because he'd had a poor attitude from the start. But throughout his youth, he had always been pessimistic, cynical, even gloomy—a start contrast to Leo, who, in spite of lacking Miran's good looks, was rarely to be found without a smile, which was his own way ever since childhood of battling against the oppressive misery of being a Lower Valuan. Though it was Miran who became leader, Leo was the one who came up with the idea of fighting against the Empire in the first place...

/_He always was crazy about me, Leo was,_/ the former rebel thought almost nostalgically. /_He'd've been just fine at telling Juan and me what to do and where to go, but no, he let me take over, and he happily supported me, like he always did..._/ But his heart and his eyes hardened, as they always soon did when he reminisced about his deceased kin. /_...Leo had a future ahead of him... If it had been him, he would've been able to escape the life we'd lived for sure. He didn't have my strength or Juan's intelligence, but somehow, he had something better... Luck? Resourcefulness? Cleverness? Ingenuity? Or maybe just charisma? I don't know, but things always seemed to go his way..._/ Miran's fist tightened in anger. /_Until, of course, the Armada caught up with him—with all of us. Would never have happened if that one shithead hadn't sold us out to begin with, but I still get pissed thinking about it... Damn it all! If either of us should've died, it should've been me! He should have been out visiting Arianne, or—fuck, I don't know! But he shouldn't have died!!_/

"It's all Ramirez's fault," he growled, his fist trembling. "He was too good... They never had a chance against him. Anyone who didn't give in quietly got slaughtered... If I'd fucking been there, would it have made a difference?! Fuck!!" the ex-revolutionary spat, too wrapped up in pinning the blame on one single target to allow himself to realize that there several extenuating circumstances, and that the former Admiral hadn't been the only one at fault. "If he hadn't shown up... If _HE_ hadn't shown up...!!"

"Miran, please...please stop it..." Arianne whispered, her shoulders shaking slightly, trying to wipe away her tears and failing. "It's a thing of the past. No good can come of clutching at it like that..."

"I'd rather clutch at it than throw it away!!" he yelled savagely. "What do you think Leo would say if he knew you're helping the guy who arrested him and killed his friends?!"

Arianne gritted her teeth and glared up at him, tears flowing down her normally lovely face, which was currently disfigured with ugly red blotches. "What about you?!" she shouted, her turbulent emotions finally getting the better of her. "Do you think Leo would still be living in the past?! Do you think he'd sacrifice his current happiness just for revenge?! Or do you think he'd want you, his beloved older brother, to get yourself killed for him?!"

"At least I'm not going out of my way to forget him!!" Miran snarled, his temper moving him into spiteful untruths.

"I've never forgotten about him!" the lady pianist shouted back. "Besides, approximating his personality into a mask to hide your own pain will never really bring him back, even a little!! Leo would have wanted you to be yourself, not try to keep him alive by acting like him!!" Throwing her arms down, she continued, "Even when you're arguing with me like this, at least it's more like your real self!"

"How would _you_ know what he would have wanted?!" the dark-haired man sneered. "He never brought you to meet me or Juan! How much of his true self could he _really_ have shown you if he didn't do even that?!"

Arianne recoiled as if she had been slapped across the face—both of them knew that was a sensitive subject to her, and both knew it was playing dirty to recall it. Her grey eyes wavering with tears, she sniffled and swiped a hand across her face without saying a word.

Several moments passed in relative silence. Nobody had come to check out the quarrel, but that wasn't unusual; Rosalind, Tierra and Fidel had learned long ago that when the two fought, it was best to keep out of their way and let them calm down on their own.

Miran had already cooled down some in the quiet, beginning to regret his choice of words. Still, his ire remained, and so he said, "You're...kind, Arianne. You seek out the people with the most pain and try to comfort them, even though you have enough problems of your own as it is. I'm sure that's part of why Leo fell for you. But it's a nuisance! You happened to get lucky with me, but that's only 'cause my brother loved you so much. But not everyone will want to be comforted! Not everyone _can_ be comforted! There are people who'll think you're just a busybody! You can't reach anybody if you're just compassionate enough. You can't solve the world's problems, so don't try to solve Ramirez's! A shit like him would be better off dead, anyway!"

"I see you're going back to another of your old arguments," the blonde woman murmured, eyes downcast. "And as always, I tell you that I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't try. It worked not just for you, but for Rosa, Tierra and Fidel, too, didn't it? That's why they're all on my ship..."

"And you've gotten arrogant because of it!" he snapped. "I don't know how you didn't realize who Ramirez was after you first met him, but when you finally clued in, that should have been your hint that he's not someone even _you_ can reach! Yet you're letting him stay on this boat anyway?!"

"It's not only him who needed a ride," she countered softly.

"Then let the Air Pirate stay and I'll take care of Ramirez!"

The pianist shook her head. "I'm certain it's not that simple."

"You just don't want to give up on him!" he snapped, exasperated. "Arianne, face it—you barely know him, and what you _do_ know is all bad. What's the sense in trying to help him?! It's stupid!" Jumping onto a different tactic, Miran took a step forward and, lowering his voice, said, "I know you're amazing at reading people..."

"People aren't books; it's a lot more complicated than you make it sound," Arianne mumbled.

"You can tell things just by observing them, watching what they do and say, and how they do and say it, then," he corrected himself, frowning. "But either way, even you can misread things, and you keep refusing to believe that there's anything bad about people! I had a knife to your throat, dammit! A _knife_, and you said I wouldn't kill you!!"

"And you didn't," she added, but she also sighed, looking wistful. "Maybe...maybe you're right, Miran," the flaxen-haired pianist acceded. "I think I should consider what you've said..."

"Including what I said about Ramirez?" the dark-eyed man said quickly.

She glanced at him, her eyes puffy and tired. "If he's no longer a member of the Armada, then is there really a reason to continue to hate him?" she queried softly. "I'd like it if you were to at least _try_ to talk to him...but I suppose that's too much to ask..."

Miran said nothing as she walked past him to the room she shared with Tierra and Rosalind, but he did bow his head, his brows furrowed. His female companion halted upon turning the knob and murmured, "Please don't do anything rash. It's just for a short while, so..." She sighed, letting her sentence trail off. "Good night," and with that, she slipped into her room and shut the door behind her.

The tall Lower Valuan glanced behind himself, then shook his head and trudged off to his small double for his hammock. Fidel was there, and awake, but he was gracious enough to pretend to be asleep so that Miran wouldn't have to say anything to him. Miran appreciated it, and feeling mildly grateful, he slid onto the hanging woven bed and folded his hands behind his head before staring up at the ceiling through the darkness.

He cared about Arianne, and in spite of how much he himself hurt her, he didn't want to see her wounded. His own hatred of and his own desire to murder the silver-haired man aside, Miran was of the opinion that it was all in all an awful idea to let Ramirez stay on the Nightingale, even for a short while. Though the dark-haired man had not personally known Arianne during her times of trauma, he had heard of it partially from Leo and later from Arianne herself—about the arrest of her father for his gambling debts, how her mother got killed foolishly trying to stop the soldiers taking him away, how her house and possessions all were taken away and she was left with no home or family... She had, of course, managed to survive somehow, though with great difficulty; it was obvious by her current situation. It was still not something of which she spoke often, and understandably so; people rarely discuss their childhood traumas.

/_She's come a long way,_/ Miran thought, /_from the miserable orphan girl Leo had met working as a restaurant musician over five years ago to the calm, peaceful, relatively happy woman she is now. And to think it was Leo that had done it... My little brother always had been amazing like that,_/ the former revolutionary mused. /_They both got a lot happier after they fell for each other... Makes me wonder why he never introduced Arianne to us..._/ He grinned mirthlessly. /_Maybe he was afraid I'd make her miserable again... Sure seems like that's what I keep doing now..._/

Shifting onto his side, he muttered, "Arianne..."

The blonde pianist, meanwhile, in her own slightly larger triple-bedroom, was cleaning herself up and getting reading for bed. Tierra and even Rosalind weren't questioning her, though they were commenting as she ran a brush through her tangled hair.

"Miran has no tact whatsoever," the violinist declared, her own golden hair still loose rather than wrapped up in its usual braided-bun style. "And he's always crazy, but he's gotten especially crazy since that man became involved."

"Well, all considering, you can hardly blame him," Tierra pointed out almost defensively. "I'd be upset too if I'd been him... Not that it's any reason to take it out on Arianne," she added, glancing furtively over at her roommate.

"That brute," Rosalind grumbled. "The only thing he has going for him is that he's so handsome."

"And he's strong with those daggers," the brunette cellist added.

"Well, yes, I suppose."

"And he's talented with several different instruments."

"Well, fine, all right—"

"And he can steer a boat."

"Fine, yes!"

Thoughtfully, the short young woman continued, "And he looks out for all of us, and he's helped us all out a lot, and he's usually very sweet..."

"Tierra, shut up!" Rosalind snapped irritably.

The brunette flushed, but before she could reply, Arianne spoke up wearily.

"Rosalind, Miran has his positive and his negative traits," the pianist said. "Sometimes the good things are more pronounced...and sometimes the bad things are more pronounced."

"I _know_, Arianne," the violinist replied, rolling her eyes. "Fine, fine, I know what you're getting at—sorry for telling you to shut up, Tierra."

"Er..." the petite brunette said quietly, a trace of her old meekness becoming apparent. "Right..."

Arianne sighed heavily, setting down her brush. "Let's all get some sleep while we can," she suggested softly, letting her eyes slide onto the small, battered iron box next to her hand.

"Assuming we'll ever wake up again," Rosalind commented, sliding into her single bed while the pianist took the ring box into her hands and drew it into her lap, gazing down at it. "That Ramirez is a maniac; who knows if he's not waiting until we fall asleep so he can kill us all?"

"Now you're being ridiculous," Tierra argued. "There's probably some truth to those stories about him, but you're taking them way out of proportion. You really shouldn't keep perpetuating rumors, anyway, Rosa..."

"Daddy and my big brother wouldn't lie to me!" the violinist huffed.

"That's not—" the cellist began to argue, but she cut herself off, clutching at the end of her top bunk as she shut her green eyes tightly to calm herself. "I'm just saying that you're assuming too much," she stated carefully. "He's an Admiral, so even if he enjoys killing as much as your stories say, which I doubt somehow, he'll be in control of his baser urges—"

"Admiral Vigoro," Rosalind said, an eyebrow arched.

"Anyway," Tierra said hastily, "nobody would let him join the elite of the Armada if he was mentally disturbed, right?"

"Admiral De Loco," the violinist stated shrewdly, her eyebrow still arched.

With an exaggerated sigh and a hint of a laugh, Tierra leaned back onto her bed with a loud, "I give up!"

Arianne, too, smiled at their banter, as she opened the tiny package in her hands and gazed fondly at its content.

"Are you going to bed soon, Arianne?" Rosalind yawned, pulling her covers over her body.

"Yes, soon," the flaxen-haired pianist replied, regarding the band of handwoven colored threads peeking out from the plain cotton cushion with bittersweet nostalgia.

"Weren't you wondering a minute ago if Ramirez would kill us all as we slept, Rosalind?" Tierra queried from the bunk bed she shared with Arianne.

The violinist shrugged from where she rested. "If he really wanted to kill us, none of us could stop him, so at least if I die, it'll be while I can't feel it," she reasoned. "_So_, there's no point in depriving myself of beauty sleep over something that I have no power to prevent provided it does happen."

"My, how practical of you," Tierra remarked with a small smirk. "Well...good night, Rosalind, Arianne."

The pianist shut the dented iron box with a tiny _snap_ and set it back next to her brush. "Yes, good night," she murmured, blowing out the lamp and heading for bed, though more for a night of contemplation than a night of slumber.  
  
  
  
The next morning, when Vyse rose from his sleep, the running engine of the Nightingale announced that they had set sail. He yawned, slightly irritated by the racket, and sat up to stretch and glance around. Nearby, Ramirez was sitting on his bedspread, staring into space, his silver blade resting by his side.

"Good morning," the Blue Rogue called in an effort to be friendly, having to raise his voice to be heard over the noise.

If the former Admiral made any reply, Vyse couldn't hear it.

"I don't suppose you ended up sleeping at all?" he tried.

Ramirez shook his head.

Wondering if the Silvite had fallen back onto his silence from when they were on the lifeboat headed to Sailor's Isle, Vyse ventured, "Don't you feel tired at all? If you want, we can sleep in shifts."

"I told you before that I've gone several days without sleep without much ill effect," Ramirez replied, and the Blue Rogue was only mildly relieved to hear his voice, considering the white-haired man's words. "Don't feel as if you have to look after me."

Vyse frowned worriedly, almost biting his lip. "It can't be healthy to go that long without resting. You should at least get twenty minutes of sleep here and there..."

"No point," the Silvite stated. "Besides, the less I sleep, the less likely I am to suffer from nightmares."

The Air Pirate ruefully admitted to himself that this was true, and considering the reactions Ramirez had had in the past to some of his worse dreams, that might not be such a bad thing... "That reminds me," he said out loud, "I've been wondering—do you ever have _good_ dreams?"

The silver-haired swordsman was silent for a moment, then shrugged, as if it wasn't a matter of much consequence. "None that I can remember..."

Furrowing his eyebrows in sympathy, Vyse murmured, "That's sad..."

The Silvite glanced at him sharply, apparently hearing him in spite of the roar of the engine, and stiffly, he returned his gaze to the wall opposite him. "I've become used to it," he said with another shrug. "No need for you to pity me."

The Air Pirate frowned deeply. /_It's not just a matter of pity, it's a matter of..._/

His train of thought was sadly redirected from its route to self-inspection when Ramirez continued, "...Why are you asking, anyway? You sleep so soundly at night that it can't possibly bother _your_ slumber."

"I was just wondering," Vyse replied awkwardly and defensively. "You seem to sleep little, and badly."

"Yes, but I manage regardless," Ramirez said in a dismissive tone.

The Blue Rogue's handsome face clouded with frustration at the Silvite's obvious continued desire to be difficult. It didn't matter _what_ Vyse tried to talk about—if the topic was about him, Ramirez would deflect anything away... Going on his finally learned course of not pushing the Silvite into any unwanted conversation, Vyse said, "Whatever makes you happy. Not as if I'll have any luck trying to talk to you about it..."

The former Admiral's expression also clouded, and turning his head away, he muttered, "It doesn't make me happy..."

Only barely hearing him over the engine, Vyse glanced at him. "Hm? Did you say something?"

Ramirez glanced back, and after a long moment of debating whether or not to repeat himself, he sighed. "I said, 'It doesn't make me happy.' Do you think I _like_ having nightmares?"

"Well, no," the Blue Rogue said, shifting his body to face his companion. "That's why I was asking." He hesitated, knowing fully well what the answer would probably be to his next inquiry, but plunged forward regardless. "Do you...do you want to talk about it?"

Surprised, Ramirez queried, "What would talking do?"

Slightly embarrassed, the brunet scratched his scar and glanced to the side. "I've heard..." he began to explain, "that nightmares are caused by stress, or bad experiences. Especially if they reoccur. So maybe if you tried sorting those things out..."

Ramirez cut him off with a bitter, mirthless laugh. "That would explain why I have so many, so often," he said dryly. "I certainly have no lack of stress or bad experiences... So, what? Do you think if I _talk_ to you, they'll go away?"

Hurt by his companion's unmasked mocking, Vyse replied, "...I don't know if nightmares can be gotten rid of..." Changing tactics, he instead questioned, "Didn't people in Valua notice you having nightmares?"

The pale swordsman shook his head. "I remedied that by sleeping less."

"Again with the lack of sleep! That's not good for you!" Vyse protested. "I've heard you can die if you don't get enough sleep."

Ramirez peered at him for so long without answering that the Blue Rogue grew very uncomfortable. When the Silvite finally spoke, he merely said, "Oh. Is that so?"

The rogue deliberately veered away from dangerous waters and instead said, "...I bet if you got more sleep, you'd sleep better."

The beautiful Silvite shrugged his thin shoulders. "Maybe," he granted. "But I don't fall asleep easily anymore. Most of the time I simply don't feel tired."

Vyse frowned unhappily and shook his head as he stood. "...Well, then I guess trying to get more sleep is futile, then..." He added to himself in a mutter, "There's no chance of you telling me your problems, either..."

Ramirez, who couldn't hear his additional comment, remained sitting, his jade-colored eyes cast to the floor, and after a moment, the Blue Rogue left him where he was.

The first person Vyse met was Tierra, who was quite petite, easily shorter than Fina. He idly remembered how tiny she had seemed in comparison to her cello when he saw her perform with Arianne at Polly's several weeks ago, and wondered briefly how it was she managed to play such a large instrument as he smiled at her and said, "Good morning! Is Arianne up?"

She smiled back, her disconcertion from last night gone. "Yeah, she's up with Miran, who's steering. You should feel lucky! Arianne talked Miran into setting sail even though it's still raining."

"It's still raining?" Vyse repeated, surprised. "She didn't have to go that far..."

The brunette shrugged. "Arianne likes to do things for other people," she said. "It's her way of proving she exists, I guess."

The brown-eyed rogue stared at Tierra for this strange statement, but the cellist either didn't notice or didn't care. "So in return," she said cheerfully, turning and beginning to walk, indicating that the Air Pirate follow her, "will you help us out? Things are always tougher in a storm..."

"Uh, sure," Vyse said, walking after her, slightly perplexed.

He quickly forgot about it as he got back into the rhythm of helping out on a ship; it hadn't been a long time since he'd last sailed, but he was quick to remember how sorely he missed it. True, Miran was the one at the wheel, but Vyse wasn't too picky at the moment, all considering. He was getting away from the Armada _and_, according to Arianne, getting a ride all the way to Crescent Isle. Now the entire problem was figuring out how to deal with Ramirez once they reached there...

A few hours into the trip, they had nearly passed through the storm, and the blonde pianist pulled Vyse aside to make a request of him—to see if he couldn't ask Ramirez if he wouldn't speak with her. The handsome pirate agreed with a smile, and took a break from helping out to check up on his white-haired companion.

He found the former Admiral in the middle of his sword practices, and like last time, Ramirez promptly stopped as soon as Vyse entered the room. Feeling uncomfortably as if he had walked in on something private, the Blue Rogue stepped inside and forced a smile. "Hi," he said awkwardly.

Ramirez glanced at him briefly, unsmilingly, and dropped his gaze to the floor without a word.

"Arianne...was wondering if you wouldn't mind talking to her," he continued, staying near the door.

The ex-Admiral frowned. He _did_ mind, but he supposed that considering he was on her ship, it was something that couldn't be avoided... Best to get it over with, he decided, and he nodded. "All right," Ramirez said curtly, returning his sword to his hip. "I'll go now."

Grateful for the lack of resistance, Vyse went back with him, and Arianne met them partway, leading Ramirez off to her room. The Blue Rogue watched them both go before rejoining Fidel, Miran and the other girls on the bridge.

He was surprised when he got there by the tall, dark man calling him over and telling him to take the wheel. The Blue Rogue hesitantly accepted, and stared after Miran as he stalked below deck.

"He's probably going to go pick a fight with Arianne again," Rosalind commented astutely, also watching him go.

"She's talking to Ramirez now, though," Vyse said, alarmed.

"He'll let her have her conversation," Fidel reassured him. "I'm betting once he figures out what she's up to, he'll be content with listening in on them and making sure Ramirez doesn't do anything."

Feeling obliged to defend his former friend, the Blue Rogue protested, "But he wouldn't do anything."

Fidel shrugged helplessly as Rosalind rolled her eyes. "Tell Miran that," he said.

"He's always been protective of Arianne," Tierra commented from the control panel off to Vyse's right. "He picks on her sometimes to make sure she's safe. He's gotten downright mean before."

The two violinists both nodded sagely, but the Air Pirate stared at the cellist, boggled by the seeming nonsensicality of that logic. "That doesn't make sense," he decided to argue. "Mistreating someone you care about to protect them? Wouldn't it be better to be nice to them?"

"Miran's way of thinking is that the ends justify the means," Rosalind said dryly. "It doesn't matter how he wins, so long as he wins."

Vyse frowned, his opinion of the man dropping as he looked back out into the stormy sky. "That's hardly a way to treat other people," he muttered. Reflecting on from where the man hailed, he added, "Say, are all of you from Valua? Upper or Lower?"

"We're all from Upper Valua except for Miran," Tierra replied.

"Really?" the rogue queried, his curiosity piqued. "Why's that? I mean, why are you four traveling with someone from Lower Valua?"

"He sort of joined us on his own..." Fidel began, but Rosalind interrupted him with a bored, "He held a knife to Arianne's throat and demanded she take him out of Valua."

"_What_?" Vyse gasped, staring at her. "You've gotta be kidding!! Why'd he do that?!"

"Well, he had a bounty on his head," the indigo-eyed violinist shrugged. "He had to get out of Valua before the Armada caught up with him."

Feeling as if he'd missed something very important, the rogue queried, "And why'd he have a bounty on his head?"

"Didn't Ramirez tell you?" Fidel queried, surprised. When Vyse shook his head, wide-eyed, the blond man looked distinctly uncomfortable and said, "Well...until two years ago, Miran lead a bunch of rebels who were trying to topple the Empire..."

He remembered the dark-haired man babbling something about rebels, but it still came as a surprise to Vyse. Seeing his expression, Tierra added, "Two years ago, the Armada found their base and arrested or killed everyone but him. He'd been away at the time, and he had to go into hiding. When he tried to leave the country, he picked out this, the Nightingale, as his getaway ship... I suppose because he saw just the four of us as the crew and figured, from the looks of us, we wouldn't put up much of a fight."

"Which we didn't," Fidel reminded her.

"Yes, Arianne _talked_ him out of slitting her throat," Rosalind said with an air of slight bemusement. "She has quite the silver tongue, that woman. It wasn't quite so funny when she invited him to join us when she found out he was her lover's older brother..."

The brunet rogue's head began to spin from all the mind-boggling new information, and he shook his head in disbelief. "Is he always that violent?"

"No, actually," Tierra was quick to respond. "Ever since he joined us, he's gotten a lot calmer. I think he was actually pretty happy to meet someone who was sort of like family... After his brother, Leonardo, and his best friend, Juan, got arrested and executed, he didn't have anyone left."

Vyse, who would be more inclined to feel sorry for the man if he weren't trying to murder the person he was trying to keep alive, nodded. "That makes sense. And he told you guys all this?"

"The execution of the terrorists was all over the news in Upper Valua," Rosalind said superciliously. "We already knew most of the details. He just filled us in on the rest since he didn't want us misunderstanding him."

"So, yeah, Miran is normally a really nice guy," Fidel said, nodding. "But you've got to understand that that whole situation is really sensitive for him. Ramirez led the troop that routed his band of revolutionaries, so of course Miran hates him."

"Yeah..." the brunet said thoughtfully, thinking back to when the silver-haired swordsman had turned his blade against him less than a week ago. "Still, it's kind of hard to believe that Arianne managed to calm him down when he was threatening to kill her..."

All three of the others laughed, to Vyse's bewilderment, and Tierra said warmly, "You don't know her well enough. To us, it's no surprise at all."

"Precisely," Rosalind added, flipping back her bangs. "She talked _me_, her greatest rival in the music world, into joining her on her silly excursion around what parts of the world she can reach in this little boat to play practically for free. It's a waste of my talent, but somehow she managed it, and I don't even regret it! Yes, she's something, all right."

As she spoke, Vyse was vaguely reminded of the first Admiral, and remembering how she'd said her older brother was in the Armada, he inquired, "Hey, Rosalind, you wouldn't happen to be related to Alfonso, would you?"

The violinist looked surprised at first, but she soon smiled immodestly. "No," she replied, "but I'm very flattered you might think so."

The Blue Rogue didn't think it was something to feel special about, but he wisely kept his opinion to himself. "Is that why you all travel with Arianne, then?" he chose to ask instead.

"Sort of," Fidel answered. "She's...just got a way with people. She helped us out with our own respective problems, and after a while we just started following her... I don't know how she's doing with Ramirez, but I'm sure she's just fine."

"Mm," Vyse murmured.

"And if we may ask, Vyse, what's the full story behind you and Ramirez?" Tierra queried politely. "Arianne told us to ask you, so..."

"Yeah, I guess it would be best to hear it from me, huh?" he laughed nervously, and told them the same edited version of the story he'd given the pianist and her male friend. Understandably, the three looked stunned and slightly skeptical by the end.

"So he gave up everything for _friendship_?" Rosalind demanded, an eyebrow cocked. "I refuse to believe it. You must be leaving something important out."

"Rosa, don't be rude," Tierra said in a slightly scandalized whisper, staring at her in disbelief.

"Well, it doesn't make sense!" the violinist woman snapped.

"Something like that is still the truth, though," Fidel pointed out, "since Ramirez is here on this ship." He turned to the Blue Rogue and said, "But there is something I want to know. If he betrayed you, why are you letting him follow you? Aren't you afraid he'll betray you again?" 

Vyse glanced away, his expression melancholy. "...I..." He laughed slightly. "I keep asking myself just that, actually..."

The aqua-eyed violinist gave him a small smile and rested a hand on the rogue's shoulder. "You said he was a friend of yours, right?" he said. "It's probably not too late to save that. From the sounds of it, he gave up all he had to make sure you were safe."

"It sounds sort of like something Miran would do," Tierra laughed. "I'm sure Ramirez would be thrilled to hear that!"

Vyse grinned, feeling a little better, but he replied, "It's a little more difficult than that. It's just really hard to talk to him, and he's completely depressed now..."

"Of _course_ he's depressed; he was an Admiral, for the Moons' sake, and he gave up all that power and prestige for a lowly _Air Pirate_!" Rosalind declared with a lofty smirk. "Not that I think this is for real, anyway. Mark my words, he's got a plan—it makes no sense to _me_, but that's what you get when you've got these insane genius-types. Their plots never make sense to anyone but themselves."

"I don't know why you keep saying that. Ramirez seems perfectly rational to me," Tierra commented, frowning.

As the two women proceeded into a debate over the former Admiral's questionable sanity, Vyse felt the positive feeling that had been building up slowly after talking to the three drain away. Though he didn't like Rosalind's attitude or the way she said what she did, her words fit chillingly. Recent events considered, it _would_ be just like the white-haired master strategist to build this, too, into some greater scheme... He couldn't make sense of it whatsoever, and the fact that Ramirez had been about to kill himself threw it off, but Vyse knew well he wasn't exactly all there, and knowing him, it wouldn't surprise him if the Silvite had just been making a calculated risk...

When he reentered the conversation later, the Air Pirate was considerably more subdued, having been given far too much to consider.  
  
  
  
Earlier, after the blonde pianist had led the silver-haired swordsman to the bedroom she shared with her female companions and had him sit next to a port window, there was a short moment where neither said anything.

Finally, his arms crossed, the former Admiral inquired coolly, peering at the woman sitting across from him, "What did you want?"

"I...wanted to apologize," Arianne murmured, crisscrossing her fingers over her knees.

Ramirez stared at her, startled—that was the last thing he'd expected. "For?"

"For making assumptions about you," she replied quietly. "For assuming that I could understand you—and for trying to get too close to you."

The Silvite didn't know quite what to say, so he remained silent.

"I suppose I was arrogant," she continued. "I saw you, and you seemed so out of place—I thought of myself, and I wanted to help. But I shouldn't have thought it to be my place..."

"It wasn't," he said plainly. "But...you were trying to do what you thought was right." He paused, and begrudgingly finished, "I suppose...I can't condemn you for that."

She glanced at him with wide, pensive gray eyes. "...Thank you," she said. "...If I may make an observation?"

The former Admiral shrugged, watching the rain pelt at the window. "Do as you please."

She hesitated. "...Something...about you seems to have changed."

He shifted his eyes toward her, raising an eyebrow in inquiry, and the pianist paused for several seconds before continuing, "The last time we met...you were very stand-offish. You clearly didn't want my company, although I chose to ignore that, thinking that if I persisted, that would change. Now...you seem more subdued. More..." She pursed her lips in thought, and then finished, "Passive, perhaps? Rather than aggressive. You seem to allow things to happen rather than struggling against them." Arianne smiled apologetically. "Forgive me. It's likely not my place to say—or assume."

Ramirez turned his head toward her slightly to regard the taller woman. "You've changed, too," he noted. "When we last spoke, you were not nearly so...penitent."

She glanced off towards the side. "I suppose it's because I realized that I had made some errors of judgment, as I said before..." she said softly.

The silver-haired swordsman said nothing, knowing that she was referring to his having arrested her lover.

"I will admit, I was upset at first," Arianne continued. "Hurt. Angry. But after a while, I came to realize that, had you had your own choice, you wouldn't have had anything to do with me. All our interaction was instigated by me. In addition, you _are_ a soldier. You were doing your duty, as a good soldier would. As much as I dislike the profession, it would be unfair of me to fault you for doing what you were ordered."

"Your friend tends to disagree with you," Ramirez commented, not mentioning that he didn't feel bad about arresting the rebels, though he didn't blame them for what they had been trying to do.

She frowned slightly, her forehead creasing. "Miran, I assume," she sighed. "Yes. But it's to be expected that a man who believes that spilling blood will bring about positive change will disagree with a woman who believes that all solutions can be reached through peaceful, diplomatic discussion."

"Why does he follow you around, anyway?" Ramirez frowned. "I assume because of his brother..."

The blonde woman smiled wistfully. "Yes, that's part of the reason," she replied. "Leonardo _is_ the link that binds us together. But we only met after Leo had died." The pianist shrugged. "I won't bore you with the details. I'll just say that, in the end, my philosophy won out over his, and after that day, he's stayed on my ship, protecting me."

"So you acknowledge that you need protection," the ex-Admiral said.

She laughed ruefully. "I am pretty and I can play the piano well," she said, "and I fancy myself able to understand others well, having been watching people since I was a child. And because of that, along with my education, I fancy myself skilled at bringing about peace. But other than those things, I am utterly useless. When you think about it, even _with_ those things, I have absolutely no practical skills."

"Wouldn't you argue that your diplomacy is a practical skill?" Ramirez frowned.

Arianne shook her head, her eyes and smile sad. "If you were going on a long trip," she murmured, "who would you prefer to bring with you—someone skilled in cooking and foraging for food, or someone who can easily quell a dispute?"

"It would depend on where you're going; both have their values," he replied, nodding thoughtfully. "But you have a point. A cook has a more immediate use than a diplomat."

She nodded back, leaning against the window and gazing out at the storm. "Besides," she added, "one's skills are only useful as long as one can protect and save those for whom one cares."

The former Admiral peered at Arianne with a troubled frown. Was she trying to imply something about him? "We barely know each other," he reminded her, just in case.

She smiled, closing her gray eyes. "I don't recall saying I was referring to you."

The white-haired man leaned back slightly. "Miran, then," he surmised. "What with his willingness to die if it means he can kill me."

The blonde woman didn't reply.

Far past the point of caring about subtlety, Ramirez queried, "He doesn't seem to like you very much. You seem to be something of a bother to him. He told me that you are a fool, and if he weren't protecting you, you would long since have been a dead woman. He doesn't seem to think very highly of your diplomacy."

"You don't either, do you?" she smiled painfully. "Then again, your life is built around conflict, just like Miran's. Of course you would think my beliefs to be the idle prattle of a naïve girl."

"Well said," he observed. "Much as I loathe admitting it, I agree with him to a certain extent. Just talking won't get you anywhere; you need force, power, to back up your words. Otherwise, no one will listen to you. And if someone is intent on taking your life, no amount of diplomacy is going to dissuade them."

Arianne's pained smile increased. "I must disagree with you there," she said, "having had experienced such a situation."

Ramirez raised an eyebrow, but he shook his head. "If it's you, I'll believe it," he muttered. "You have an unmistakable way with words. You even maintained a conversation with me on the night when we first met...not that you were offering me any other choice. I'm sorely regretting letting you have your way now. It's just one more complication in my already overcomplicated life."

"I'm sorry," she murmured, dropping her eyes as her smile faded away.

"Nothing to be done about it now," he muttered. "Is there anything else you wanted to say, or is that it?"

"Only something presumptuous," she replied.

"I'll take my leave, then," he said, standing. "Don't worry; I won't get in the way of you or your companions. I'm fine with spending the rest of the trip with just the engine to keep me company."

She stood up as well, grabbing his jacket as he passed. "Although it's presumptuous, I feel a need to say it," she said with an apologetic smile. "I don't know if I'm right. I made an enormous error in judgment concerning you—I deliberately ignored things that should have been obvious about you, so I might be wrong again. In addition, I have a feeling I don't know the entire story. If so, please just ignore me, but if not, please at least contemplate what I'm about to tell you, even if you don't take it to heart."

Arianne took a deep breath, then gently told Ramirez, "If you try to keep your pain strictly to yourself, you will only engender more pain, not only for yourself, but for the people who care about you. Like I said, I don't know the details Vyse left out of his recounting of what happened between you two, but even so, I can still see a lot of hurt between the two of you. Whether you love him as a friend or you love him as something else, if you truly care about him, you should try to clearly express what you feel..."

"I already have," Ramirez said flatly, though he didn't move. "Since you won't stop if I don't tell you, I...told him I loved him. He didn't take it well. Are you done?"

There were several seconds of silence, then Arianne shook her head. "Pardon me, but no," she said contritely. "If the two of you leave things the way they are, you'll only continue to wound each other. If he's important enough to you that you would sacrifice everything else that matters to you to preserve his life, then wouldn't it be worth it to, even if he won't return your specific affections, restore your friendship?"

"Although he told me he forgives me, he'll never truly trust me again," the ex-Admiral stated, not without a tinge of regret. "Which he would be right not to do. I am worthy of no one's faith."

"...I'm sorry," she murmured.

"Don't be," he replied stiffly, and finally pulling his arm out of her grasp, he walked the door. When he opened it, Miran was leaning against the wall on the other side, and the former Admiral paused, eyeing him warily.

The ex-revolutionary eyed him back with hostile, dark brown irises and a faint sneer. The two stared each other down, Arianne clasping her hands to her chest in worry nearby, before Ramirez smiled imperceptibly, moved his gaze to the end of the hallway, and stepped forward.

_If he's going to kill me, he'll just be doing me a favor_—so went the Silvite's logic. Miran watched him go, his arms folded over his chest, but did nothing to impede Ramirez. He glanced at Arianne, but said nothing—his scowl merely deepened, and he pushed himself away from the wall and stalked off.

The blonde pianist sorrowfully watched him leave, and after a moment, followed him up to the bridge, where Miran was piloting the Nightingale into a field of sky under a patch of sunshine peeking through the remaining rainclouds. Vyse was nearby, his back to her and his fists on his hips, and she hesitated for a moment before she decided to try to talk to him. She scolded herself, but she couldn't let Ramirez stay that miserable without trying to help... It just went against her nature to leave someone like that.

Approaching him and getting his attention by touching his sleeve gently, she quietly said, "Vyse, may I have a few words with you?"

"Uh, sure," he said, turning to face her. "Um...I guess you just finished talking to Ramirez?"

She nodded once, her gray eyes subdued.

Looking both discomfited and eager at the same time, he questioned in a low voice, "Did he...say anything about me?"

She nodded again, taking a step backwards. "Let's go someplace more private."

"All right," he agreed, missing the glare Miran was sending his way as he followed Arianne below deck.

She led him to her room and sat him down in the chair Ramirez had occupied minutes earlier, then sat opposite him, folding her hands in her lap.

"I want to talk about Ramirez," she said forthrightly. "And about you...if that's fine."

Feeling a bit awkward, Vyse replied, "Yeah, sure."

She sighed slightly, bowing her head, then looked up at him and began. "I had a feeling that you weren't telling the entire truth when you told Miran and me what happened to bring you aboard my ship," she said. "Well, I suppose it wasn't just intuition; as Miran stated, it was rather obvious that there were some holes to your story."

"Well, yeah," the Blue Rogue admitted, rubbing the back of his neck and blushing. "But...well...there were some parts that were just kind of private."

"Such as Ramirez being in love with you?" Arianne guessed gently.

Vyse's jaw dropped as he leaned forward to stare at the older woman. "How—how did you know?! Was that your intuition?"

"Ramirez told me," she replied, and he deflated slightly. "But it was something I'd observed in him a long time ago." Arianne smiled. "You know, Vyse, it's hard not to get charmed by someone with your joie de vivre."

"My what?"

"It means joy for life," she explained. "Living and being happy with your life is important to you, isn't it? You keep going, and don't let anything stop you." The pianist laughed slightly. "Well, anyone who knows what you've done could surmise as much. But still, hearing about you and meeting you are two different things. It's not surprising, to me at least, that even men would fall for you."

"Well...it was something of a shock for me," the Blue Rogue murmured, glancing at the floor.

"Ramirez mentioned that you didn't take it well," she noted. "What did you tell him? I assume you rejected him, but..."

"Well, yeah," Vyse shrugged, still feeling awkward. "I mean, he's a guy. Plus...well...he was about to throw me to the Empire, and he'd burned down my base, and he'd pointed his sword at me and my friends... C'mon, it's not something you can forget easily, even with an 'I love you'."

"But he let you go," she pointed out. "At the cost of his position, it seems."

The Air Pirate smiled ruefully. "Ever since I brought him onto the Delphinus," he began, "I've been letting a lot of the things he's been doing slide, hoping that he'd calm down, that he'd take to us. And it was a rough ride, and we fought a lot, but he and I eventually did sort of become something like friends, and he was even being nicer to the crew. But..." Vyse glanced out the porthole. "I don't know. I don't know if he was faking the entire thing or not... I mean, he told me he loved me, but that might be a lie, too, you know?" He sighed. "It's just...I was more or less giving him all my trust before he turned on us. But ever since then, I..." Scratching his scar embarrassedly, the rogue confessed, "I guess I'm afraid he'll betray me again."

"You don't want to be hurt again," Arianne summarized, "so you keep him at arm's length. But if you're that afraid, why do you keep him as close as that?"

Vyse took a deep breath, not wanting to tell her the truth, since it was still painful for him—his dream was still fresh in his mind—but knowing he didn't have much of a choice. "He...when he let me go, his idea of reconciling his oaths to Galcian and his feelings for me was...by killing himself after he let me go free."

Arianne's gray eyes widened, but she merely nodded slightly. "Please continue."

"I can't stand suicide!" he blurted out, shifting himself forward in his chair. "I can't stand the thought of people taking the easy way out by willingly choosing to end their own lives rather than face up to their problems!"

"I can understand that," she said with a nod. "So then, you took him with you to make sure he wouldn't kill himself? But in spite of your good intentions, you may be making him more miserable." She smiled self-deprecatingly. "I myself was doing the same when I was trying to 'help' him, though I only realize that now."

Vyse was silent, gazing at Arianne, stricken by the thought of allowing Ramirez to die out of mercy. "But..." he murmured at length, "he...he's making too much of a big deal out of this... I'm just one guy! There's a world full of people out there! He used to be totally devoted to Galcian—he practically still is. And then he met me, and after a while, we started getting friendly. So why couldn't that happen with someone else?"

"Once they fall in love with one person, people tend to want to stay in love with that person," the blonde woman pointed out, and Vyse hung his head.

"That's not..." he protested. "But he's taking this too far..."

"Vyse," she said gently, "have you ever been in love with someone? So much, so deeply, so strongly that you thought you might die from it? Have you ever cared so much for someone that you'd be willing to give up everything, even your life, for them?" She breathed a small sigh, pushing back her hair behind her ear. "Real love isn't so weak as to disappear when someone wants it to disappear, even the one who's experiencing it. Perhaps I'm wrong—that's always a possibility—but I have an idea of what the situation is, based on what you told me. 

"Though he tried to erase it from himself by betraying you, ultimately he could not surrender his true feelings, and even though it meant losing everything, including you, he decided to let you go free." Gazing sorrowfully at the Blue Rogue, she said, "In the end, he chose you—love—over the Empire—duty...though there was a dangerous period where he almost chose the latter. Knowing that, can't you try to trust him again?"

"...I..." He shook his head, his pained brown eyes gazing at his knees. "You don't understand... It's not that easy!"

Her face serious, Arianne said, "Vyse, I don't think you understand what it means to have someone who's willing to die for you."

"But I don't _want_ him to die for me!!" he protested, getting to his feet. "I don't want him to die at all!!"

Gazing up at him, she queried levelly, "Why not?"

"...That's..." the brunet rogue murmured.

"Vyse, may I ask you something?" she inquired. At his nod, the blonde continued, "What, precisely, are your feelings for Ramirez?"

His cheeks turning pink, the young ship captain stammered, "Wh, what do you mean?"

"You thought of him as a friend, correct?" she said evenly. "Surely those emotions weren't extinguished _that_ easily. Forget about the things holding you back for a moment. What do you feel about him now?" Her gray eyes met his brown ones. "Do you think you could love him back?"

The pink turning into scarlet, Vyse glanced away, thinking of the night before everything went to hell, when he was wondering what it would be like to take his friendship with Ramirez to a deeper level.

/_It was just stupid, random thoughts, though!_/ he told himself fiercely. /_I like girls. Girls, dammit! Not a guy like Ramirez! Sure, I liked being around him—it was fun talking to him, even if we were arguing—and I always wanted him to stay around me—and the closer we got, the easier and easier it was to talk to him—and sure, I worried about him when something was bothering him—but that's normal for friends! It's the same thing with me and Aika!_/

On the other hand, he reminded himself as his brow creased in worried thought, Ramirez wasn't someone he regarded as family. And even with the whole disgusting suicide business—he wouldn't take that from anyone else, either, but when it came to the morose Silvite, somehow it just distressed him a hell of a lot more. Not to mention that his fellow swordsman's melancholy affected him so profoundly that it was even starting to infect him; Vyse couldn't think of anyone else who'd had such a powerful impact on him. Yes, he at last admitted to himself, Ramirez was important to him. If he died, or went back to Galcian, Vyse would miss him.

But was that enough for love?

"I...I don't know," he finally said. "I... Like you said, Ramirez means a lot to me, and if we could salvage it, I'd like our old friendship back." Returning to his seat, the Blue Rogue continued, "But I don't know about love. I...I'm not gay. Besides, it's not normal, is it?"

After a moment of careful thought, Arianne gently stated, "Normalcy is overrated. Rather than worrying about whether something is 'normal' or not, you should try to pick out the lifestyle that feels best for you. If in the end you decide you love Ramirez, that's fine. If in the end you decide that it's just close friendship after all, that's fine, too." She smiled a wide, friendly smile, shutting her eyes. "You should know that the most important thing is that you're happy, Vyse."

He grinned back, feeling a bit better. "Yeah, that's right," he reflected. "You should be true to yourself..." He sighed, his grin waning into a pensive smile. "It's still hard, though."

"These sorts of things always are," Arianne replied sympathetically. "Don't feel too bad about it."

"Yeah," he agreed, looking back out at the now clear, sun-drenched skies. "But still, Ramirez... The things you said earlier were true—both that he sacrificed everything else that was important to him for me..." He shook his head. "And that I'm afraid of him hurting me again." He grinned abashedly. "It's kinda stupid, huh? I mean, normally I don't let anything get me down, but here I am, hesitating over something like this..."

"No, it's natural to be afraid when someone you like hurts you emotionally," Arianne refuted, her smile kind. "And if he completely outmatched you in a swordfight, which he must have since he kidnapped you in the first place, then on some level you must be worried that if you get into that kind of fight with him again, next time he won't be so merciful as to spare your life.

"But Vyse," she continued, "by doing that, you're giving yourself a greater importance, both to your own life and to your own feelings, than you are giving to him. Even with the issue of suicide, you're telling yourself that you're stopping him because _you_ don't like suicide and that _you_ don't want him to die. I know you care about him, Vyse, and that's why you have to make _his_ happiness your priority instead."

"I know, I know—" he protested, glancing at his feet, "it's just..."

"You understand how much he cares about you, don't you?" she interrupted. "So you have to give him a chance to redeem himself."

Looking up with a startled, alarmed stare, Vyse shook his head fiercely. "No, it's not like that at all!" he dissented. "I want to help him. I've been trying to help him! But he keeps making it so difficult! I've been trying to think of a better way, I swear! But every time I suggest a different solution than his death, he turns it down!"

An expression of understanding coming to Arianne's face, she nodded. "Aha... I'm sorry. I've lately realized I have a bad habit of assuming." She smiled empathetically and wistfully. "But still, it's enough to break your heart, isn't it? When you can't help the ones important to you, no matter how hard you try... But at the same time, you can't just leave them." She paused, then continued, "Vyse... No matter how much they've hurt you, all you can do is believe in those you care about. Certainly, it's an invitation for him to wound you again, but...if you truly want to save him, it's something you must do."

He smiled back supportively and stood. "Yeah...you're right," he said warmly. "Thanks, Arianne."

She shook her head, gazing fondly at her lap. "I'm just glad I could help."

The Blue Rogue hesitated, thinking of what Tierra and the others had told him about Arianne and Miran, and wondered if there weren't parallels she was drawing between herself and her tall companion, and him and Ramirez. Thinking of that, he ventured, "You know, now that I think about it, you sound like you've had some experience yourself in something like this."

The pianist woman smiled amiably up at him. "I've had a good amount of experience in a number of things."

Grinning slightly, he said apologetically, "Sorry, but I talked to Fidel and the others...and they explained to me what your relationship is with Miran." Seeing her drop his gaze back to her lap, though her smile more or less remained, Vyse continued, "It's not the same as with me and Ramirez, I know, but there are some similarities, aren't there? You want him to live a normal life, don't you? But then along came Ramirez, and he's all of a sudden remembering how things used to be, and he gives in to his personal hate...and there's barely a thing you can do to stop him." The Air Pirate leaned against the wall, crossing his legs. "But you must have it really tough... I've known Ramirez for nearly two lunar cycles. You've known Miran for nearly two years."

She smiled melancholically and nodded. "He's taken in my lessons for proper speech quite well, and his reading and writing aren't bad either, but it's harder to instill tranquility and forgiveness... It's enough to break your heart, isn't it?" Arianne quoted herself. "When you can't help the ones important to you, no matter how hard you try..."

The handsome rogue didn't know what to say, so he decided to simply do and say what his heart told him. So, he straightened himself, smiled comfortingly and offered his hand. "Let's both try our best," he said warmly. "We can't give up! If we do, then that's the same as letting them destroy themselves. So let's hang in there. I'm sure, in time, we'll be able to get through to them."

The flaxen-haired pianist looked at him wonderingly, then took his hand and stood. "Vyse..." she murmured. "...Is it all right if I hug you?"

Thrown off-balance by the sudden strange request, Vyse uttered, "Huh? Uh, sure."

She stepped closer to him and wrapped her slender arms around her torso, resting her cheek on his shoulder, looking out toward the door. Completely bewildered, the Blue Rogue patted her shoulders, and was alarmed when he heard her sniff loudly.

"Hey, are you all right?" he queried, concerned—it was bad enough that Ramirez was on the verge of an emotional breakdown, if not already undergoing it; he didn't want to have to deal with the Valuan woman, too.

"Yes..." she murmured in reply, smiling in spite of her tears. "It's just...I suddenly realized you remind me of him."

Blinking twice, the Air Pirate repeated, "'Him'?"

She pulled away then, shaking her head and wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "It's nothing." With a warm smile, she inquired, "How old are you?"

Mystified by this question that seeming had nothing to do with anything, Vyse answered honestly, "Seventeen. Why?"

She chuckled, still smiling. "A shame you're so young... A girl really could fall for you, Vyse."

The Blue Rogue's eyes widened in sudden understanding, and giving a slight, nervous, but flattered laugh, he rubbed the back of his neck, glancing to the side and blushing faintly. The lovely young woman tilted her head, smiling in amusement, and rested a hand on the handsome rogue's shoulder comfortingly. "Good luck with Ramirez—and with everything else from now on."

He nodded and smiled back, deciding to let the matter rest. "Thanks. Good luck to you, too, Arianne."

Having reached an understanding, the two left the Valuan woman's room and split ways at the foot of the wooden stairs leading up to the bridge, with Arianne heading to the cargo room and Vyse heading up to join Miran and the others. The dark-haired helmsman glanced at him with a slight scowl, and rather than a greeting, his first words were, "Arianne isn't with you."

Not knowing whether to be annoyed with his rudeness or admire his protectiveness, Vyse said, recounting his parting words with the musician, "Yeah, she said she was going to do her piano practice for today."

"Nnh," the Lower Valuan muttered, shifting his eyes back out to the now clear skies.

"How long 'til we're to Crescent Isle?" the Blue Rogue queried, hoping to steer the conversation into a better direction. "There anything I can do to help?"

"Now that we're out of the storm, if we keep up a strong pace, we should get there by late this evening," Miran replied. "I'll have something for you to do later, but right now, there's just something I wanna ask you."

"Yeah?" the Blue Rogue replied.

"What are you going to do with _him_?"

Vyse's expression grew serious; there wasn't a need to specify who the 'him' in question was. He wasn't sure if he was happy that the former rebel had chosen to start this conversation, but he had to admit it was convenient; there were some things the young rogue wanted to ask him in return. Deciding to answer first, he said, "...I'm not entirely sure, myself."

"What does _he_ want to do?"

The answer was a very sensitive one, and this time, instead of answering, Vyse said, "I'll tell you, but you have to promise to answer some of my questions, too."

Miran glanced at him briefly, then returned his gaze to the heavens. "Fine."

The Air Pirate rubbed the back of his neck nervously, looking down at his feet and recalling his conversation with Arianne, before he finally, painfully honestly, replied, "He told me that...he wants to die."

To his surprise, the Lower Valuan laughed, albeit dryly. "Does he now," he commented, equally dryly. "That explains why he told me he'd let me kill him if I took you to Crescent Isle."

In shock, Vyse stared at the older man, his mouth agape. "He said that?"

"When I first found you two," Miran replied easily. "It was before you woke up. But I hate killing people who won't fight back, and he dropped his sword, so as much as I would've liked to seize the opportunity..."

His low opinion of the man rising a bit, Vyse said hesitatingly, "I... I guess I'm glad about that, then..." Straightening slightly, he went on, "There's something I wanted to ask you, too."

"What?"

"Arianne told me about how she and you met," the rogue began, eliciting a frown from the ex-revolutionary, "and how you've been sailing together for two years. I don't know about her other moods, but she seems to be pretty sweet-tempered, and I can't help but wonder why you'd still be obsessing with revenge two years later."

Miran glared, scowling, full-on at the shorter sailor, his dark eyes narrowed. Vyse stared back without looking away, refusing to back away, and finally, he sneered and stated, "You've already forgiven that prick for what he's done to you, haven't you."

"So what if I have?" Vyse replied stubbornly, crossing his arms.

The dark-haired man's sneer curled a little more. "Tell me, when Ramirez burned down your base," he questioned coldly, "did anyone _die_?"

Vyse was silent; then he shook his head. He wasn't certain that there hadn't been any fatalities, but he didn't want to think about if there had been.

As if reading the young ship captain's mind, Miran said, "Imagine if they _had_ died—if they'd _all_ died. Imagine that Ramirez slaughtered all your friends, all your followers, except for you. Would you still be so lenient with him then, knowing everyone you care about died by his hand or order?" Without waiting for an answer, the knife-user glowered out at the horizon. "The fact that you think it's strange that I'm holding onto a grudge after only two years is proof that nothing truly bad has ever happened to you. It's easy to be merciful when you haven't seen the corpses of your friends strewn about like so much garbage!"

Struck by the older man's words, both by their content and their form—Arianne hadn't been exaggerating when she said he'd learned proper speech well—Vyse nevertheless stood his ground. "I can see where you're coming from, and believe me, I'm not one for letting the Empire get away with something like that," he argued, "but it's been two years. You're just going to make yourself miserable if you keep carrying a grudge like that. Besides, you're hurting Arianne!"

The three other crew members of the Nightingale, who had up 'til that point been busy pretending to be unable to hear the conversation, finally couldn't hide it any longer, and now outright stared at the two men, undeniably curious to see Miran's response.

Miran obliged them by responding frigidly, "First of all, what happens between Arianne and me is none of your fucking business. Second of all, you just don't understand, so I'm not going to try to make you."

"_What_ don't I understand?" Vyse demanded, reminded distinctly of Ramirez.

"The fact that hatred doesn't fade that easily," the Lower Valuan snapped, "and how strong the bonds of loyalty are." As the Blue Rogue stared at him, dumbstruck and chilled by the uncanny echo of Ramirez's words in what Miran said, the ex-terrorist continued, "If you knew anything about it, you'd know that it's not something anyone could throw away easily!!"

When Vyse didn't reply, Miran returned to scowling out at the skies. After several moments of silence, the latter finally asked quietly, "If he wants to die, let him. You don't owe him anything; he backstabbed you. You should stab him back."

Clenching a hand into a fist, the Blue Rogue replied angrily, "You're wrong. Yes, he betrayed me. But now he's trying to make up for it...and even if I was the only one who thought so, we were friends for a while. I won't abandon him!"

The dark-haired man peered at him for a moment, then muttered, "So you _do _understand, a little." He raised his eyes to the horizon and continued, "But that doesn't keep you from being an idiot."

With a small laugh, Vyse commented, "That sounds like something Ramirez would say."

Miran's knuckles promptly went white as his grip on the steering wheel increased by fifteen pounds. His teeth gritted to the point of grinding, he glared malevolently out of the corner of his eyes at Vyse.

Not letting it disturb him, the Air Pirate said calmly, "It's too bad you're so dead-set against Ramirez... The two of you probably have a lot in common. You should try talking to him."

In response, the Lower Valuan shot his right arm forward and roughly grabbed Vyse by the front of his shirt, then lifted him an inch from the floorboards. The Blue Rogue grabbed Miran's wrist out of reaction, but he couldn't do much more than glare at the taller man.

"I don't think," Miran began smoothly, "that we'll need your help. Just go back to your _friend_ and wait for 'til we get to your island." And without waiting for an answer, he dropped the young ship captain back onto his feet and returned his attention to sailing.

The captain of the Delphinus retreated four steps, rubbing at his collar, and said defiantly, "Just because you don't like hearing it doesn't make it less true!"

"Get out before I throw you into Deep Sky," Miran snapped.

Vyse shook his head, but obeyed; if Arianne couldn't get him to let go of his past, _he_ certainly wouldn't be able to. Instead of returning to the engine room, though, the Blue Rogue opted to hang out on deck, clearing off the occasional monsters that decided to drop by. Getting active helped clear his thoughts, and that was just what he needed to sort through everything he'd learned.

Miran... Though Vyse couldn't say he liked the man, he might have had some insight on how Ramirez thought—though the Blue Rogue doubted either would like hearing that. Hatred and loyalty... Ramirez couldn't let go of those, either, could he? That's why he couldn't forget about Galcian...

/_Maybe I'm being selfish, though,_/ Vyse mused sadly, thinking of what Arianne had said. /_Ramirez and I haven't known each other for that long, and he's been working for Galcian for years... Of course the guy'd be important to him. I wish Ramirez didn't overreact so much, though... For someone who acts so stand-offish, he sure is emotional..._/

He sighed, swiping at a Looper and watching it swoop out of the way and make a break for it along with its companions. Fighting sure was lonely when you had to do it by yourself... Ramirez was always alone, wasn't he? Even if he was near people, he always shut them out and kept to himself... In that way, he'd always been fighting by himself—he'd always been lonely. But perhaps somewhere along the way, he'd convinced himself that being alone was better, since the alternative was being near the people whom he believed were scum, aside from Galcian...

And somehow, _he_ had made him begin to think differently. Vyse didn't know whether or not he should be proud of accomplishing such a feat... Reflecting on Arianne's relationship with Miran, he figured he probably should be. But at the same time, it was the very thing that now made Ramirez, all pretenses aside, want to die. The Blue Rogue wasn't sure it was worth that...

Taking a breather in between battles, Vyse leaned against the door leading back into the Nightingale and turned his brown eyes to the growing form of the Red Moon. He remembered how, not that long ago, he had sworn to himself to help his Silvite companion overcome the darkness in his heart, but... Considering the situation, could he still do that? Had he _ever_ been able to do it?

The captain of the Delphinus smiled ruefully, shaking his head. It also wasn't that long ago that he would have been facing any situation with an undefeatable attitude and unmatchable vigor, but those were just your ordinary, run-of-the-mill impossible odds and never-before-done feats. This time, it was the feelings and life of someone for whom he cared on the line... Vyse wasn't sure if his priorities were backwards, and he thought that maybe he might be a hypocrite. In his dream, the Blue Rogue had asked his fellow swordsman how one person could be so important, but here he was, completely willing to risk everything to give Ramirez a second chance—or was it third, now? Vyse had lost count... It truly begged the question:

Is one person really more important than the rest of the world?

Clearly, that was so for Ramirez. First he was willing to go so far as to let Galcian have control of the Rains of Destruction because he thought Galcian was the only person who could _save_ the world—something Vyse still couldn't understand—and now, he threw away his dedication to that very man for _him_...

/_I have other things to take care of—I have my ship and my crew to think about, and there's still lots of things I want to do, amazing things I want to see, places I want to go..._/ Vyse thought, gazing at the passing cirrus clouds. /_And I've got to protect everyone from whatever Galcian's trying. But still, I want to protect Ramirez..._/

He thought of the words of comfort he'd given Arianne, sheathed his cutlasses, and headed back inside. There was no avoiding it; he had to talk to the silver-haired former Admiral if he wanted to get anywhere. And since Ramirez refused every other option—well, he'd just have to bring him to Crescent Isle after all. The young ship captain was fully aware of how foolhardy that was, but it was his last resort short of letting Ramirez die, which he refused to let happen at any cost...and that was that.

Making his way to the engine room, Vyse entered the noisy room, walked over to and sat down next to Ramirez, and took a deep breath. "Hey... Ramirez..." he began.

The Silvite glanced over at him wordlessly, dark circles under his eyes more noticeable than ever. The Blue Rogue wondered briefly how long it had been since the former Admiral had last slept before continuing, "Do you mind if we talk?"

As he gazed at Vyse, Ramirez felt the urge to tell the well-meaning rogue to go away flare up, but his will to resist soon drained away, and he glanced at his feet morosely. "...Fine."

"You said you don't have anywhere to go..." the pirate said.

"...Yes."

"If...that's the case," he said nervously, "would you mind staying with me—I mean, at Crescent Island? I know, I know," he hastily added when he saw his companion frown, "a lot of people aren't gonna be happy to see you, but it's better than nowhere, right?"

Still frowning, Ramirez carefully said, "...I don't think that's wise."

"But you said you don't have anywhere to go," the brunet rogue argued.

"Vyse..." the silver-haired man said with an edge of exasperation. He shut his eyes, waited three seconds, then continued, "That includes Crescent Isle. I'll be surprised if they don't try to lynch me there, with your redheaded friend leading the mob."

Stung by the Silvite's overly honest words, Vyse let his shoulders sag. "...I'm just trying to help."

His tone emotionless, Ramirez replied, "You can't help me."

The Air Pirate was unhappily reminded again of his dream, of the flower petals rising into the heavens... His expression sad, Vyse said quietly, "Don't say that."

The Silvite looked away, falling silent; to him, the conversation had been a failure from the start, and there was no point in trying to prod it further.

Vyse was not of a like mind, and he glanced over at his companion, then ventured, "It's just...you gave up so much just to help me."

The former Admiral didn't reply for several seconds; then he merely shrugged.

"I..." the Blue Rogue began, his cheeks turning pink. "I just want to thank you."

This prompted a surprised stare from the white-haired swordsman. "Eh...?"

A little gratified by the response, the Air Pirate smiled and pointed out, "I mean, you saved my life."

"...I..." Ramirez uttered, his cheeks beginning to match the color of Vyse's. He averted his green eyes quickly and felt an acute vertigo from the sudden action. Once he recovered, he murmured, "...If I hadn't betrayed you to begin with, your life wouldn't have needed saving. You shouldn't feel obliged to thank me for anything."

"I know that," Vyse said calmly, his confidence reviving. "You still could have turned me over for execution, though. But you didn't."

Feeling his head spin, though he didn't know whether it was from the pirate's continued forgiveness or from his own exhaustion, the ex-Admiral swayed on the spot, shaking his head slightly to try to ward away the sleep that threatened to overtake him.

"I just wanted you to know that," the pirate added as a prompt.

"...I...am not quite sure what to say," Ramirez replied, raising his right index and middle finger to his temple.

With a smile, the brunet youth said warmly, "If you want to call me an idiot, it's okay. But I still appreciate what you did."

The jade-eyed man gazed at Vyse with a pinched expression, reminded again of why he fell for the dashing rogue. The look was not lost on its target, and the Air Pirate added quickly, feeling his chest tighten, "...I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

The faded blue of depression swimming in his fading vision, Ramirez blinked slowly, fatigued. /_...It hurts..._/ he managed to think, losing badly against his opponent Somnus. /_It hurts to be this close to him, and knowing that I can't close that distance..._/

"...Is there anything you want to talk to me about?" the Blue Rogue inquired, wanting to keep some kind of conversation going.

Only dimly hearing Vyse's words, the Silvite murmured, "Mm...?"

Having not noticed that Ramirez was on the verge of passing out, the young captain looked over at him, slightly confused, and quickly assumed the engine had muffled his words. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"

The white-haired swordsman's eyelids drooped shut as he faded into unconsciousness, and with barely a whisper of rumpled clothing, Ramirez fell to the side until his head came to rest on Vyse's shoulder.

The Air Pirate stared, his face hot, as his companion collapsed onto him. "Rami...rez?" he tried. "Hey..." He kept his eyes fixed on the Silvite for several moments longer, wondering what in the Moons he was going to do.

Eventually, though, his brown eyes softened, and with a slight smile, he thought, /_I'll let him stay that way. I'd hate to have to bother him..._/

He fondly continued to watch the shallowly breathing ex-Admiral for several moments longer. /_I wonder how much sleep he's gotten recently,_/ he mused. /_He must be really tired, to just collapse like that... I think it's been about two days since I last saw him sleep, and before that, he probably didn't get any sleep at all. He couldn't have been sleeping very well the night before that, if he did at all, and the night before _that_, he had a nightmare... Moons. Poor Ramirez..._/ His smile widened. /_Bet he'd hate it if he knew I thought that..._/

Biting back a laugh, the Blue Rogue thought, /_He really looks calm like this. I don't think I've ever really watched him sleeping before... Heh. It's kind of sweet. It's nice to see him at peace for once. And not like he was in my dream..._/

His mirth melted off of his face as tendrils of depression threaded around his heart while he recalled that nightmare, but he shook his head carefully, so as not to awaken his fellow swordsman. /_Ramirez, I hope everything turns out all right. For your sake..._/

Vyse folded his hands over his knees, gazing up at the ceiling as Ramirez dozed, enjoying the closeness in spite of himself. He smiled again slightly, glancing at him. /_I wish I could save you... I hope I can save you..._/ he thought, the smile once again fading. /_But in spite of what I told Arianne, I just don't know what to do. Ramirez.../_

He sighed, and closed his eyes, letting his head rest against the wall. Lulled by the engine, he soon drifted off, forgetting his worries, at least for a time. Several hours later, he floated into consciousness as easily as he had into sleep, and blinking groggily, he peered around his surroundings, his thoughts muddled. Glancing over at the former Admiral, he noticed he still slumbered, and wondered how long he himself had slept.

Before remembering himself, the Blue Rogue reached up a hand and touched the Silvite's face to brush his bangs out of his eyes. Ramirez surprisingly still didn't awaken, and even though the young captain belatedly recalled how light a sleeper his fellow swordsman was, the former Admiral's lack of response encouraged him to attempt another gentle touch. Lightly, he traced the slumbering man's jaw line, before halting out of fear of rousing Ramirez, and dropping his hand back to his lap.

/_I really shouldn't. He might be upset if I woke him._/

So he stared over at the door, wondering when they would reach Crescent Isle, and if Ramirez would awaken soon—preferably before anyone came in and found them like this. He didn't have the heart to rouse him himself—Moons knew the Silvite needed some good rest--but at the same time, it was pretty embarrassing...

Minutes passed, and it was after perhaps a half-hour that Ramirez stirred and awoke. The Silvite's pale lashes parted, and as he lifted his head and realized on whom he had been sleeping, he jerked away as if he had been stung, falling back into a crouch. He glared at Vyse as if somehow it had been _his_ fault, then sharply averted his eyes, his cheeks flushed faint scarlet.

"Sorry..." the Blue Rogue murmured, though it wasn't his fault, and both of them knew it. "I didn't want to wake you." A moment of tense silence passed between the two before Vyse stood, and scratching the back of his neck nervously, said, "I'm going to go see how far we have left to go, okay? I'll be right back."

Ramirez still didn't look at Vyse, letting his pale hair hide his face. His only reply was a terse nod.

The brunet man left the room, and sought out a member of the crew. He found Fidel shortly, who seemed to have been searching for him in kind.

"Vyse, there you are!" he smiled. "Just wanted to let you know, Crescent Isle's on the horizon."

Vyse smiled in return, though inside he was worried about what was to come. "That's good; I was going to ask when you thought we would arrive. Sorry for being rude, but I should go get my things together, right?" he replied.

"Don't worry about it. Yes, it's probably best that you pack up." The Valuan musician paused, looking pensive, and added, "You know, Vyse... Is it really okay for Ramirez to go back to Crescent Isle? After what you told us..."

Vyse gazed off into the sky, his expression vaguely sad. "I don't know. But he has no where else to go, and I owe him my life..."

"Well, it's just that your friends—you must know how they're going to react." Fidel smiled half-heartedly. "Angry would be an understatement, I think, although if you think they'll understand, you'd know them best. Just...be careful, all right?"

Vyse nodded. "I'll just have to see what happens," he replied.

The violinist waved and headed up to the bridge, probably to relay the message that he'd found the Blue Rogue. Said rogue, in the meantime, headed back to the engine room, his feelings not so much mixed as pureed. He opened the door, and entered the room, where Ramirez was still sitting against the wall.

"Hey, um..." he began, more than a little apprehensive of the coming confrontation but opting against subtlety, "Crescent Isle is on the horizon. We'll be there soon."

"Shall I pitch myself into Deep Sky now, or wait for your orange-haired friend to do it for me?" Ramirez replied morosely.

"Hey...don't say things like that," Vyse replied, his expression pained.

The Silvite sighed and got to his feet. "So how are you going to stop that from happening, then?" he inquired, his tone resigned but with a trace of bitter sarcasm. "I suppose you'll simply tell them that I had a change of heart, and that they should welcome me back with open arms."

"I'll tell them the truth," the Blue Rogue replied, his expression stern.

A look of horror struck the former Admiral's face, and he abruptly turned away. "...Do as you please," he said stiffly, clearly not liking the idea.

"Sorry," Vyse replied, "but I think it's the best way."

"...When I told you how I felt," Ramirez said carefully, "you told me you hated me regardless. What makes you think they'll react any better?"

"Nothing does. They'll have to make their own decisions," the pirate stated.

The Silvite's hands tightened into fists, then relaxed as his arms sagged, dangling at his sides. He gazed up at Vyse, his jade eyes hopeless, and finally spoke. "Are you going to tell them...everything?" Bowing his head slightly, he murmured, "Including how...I kissed you?"

Vyse's cheeks turned pink. "I...think I'll omit that..." he said quietly.

The ex-Admiral smiled hopelessly. "I suppose I should thank the Moons for small favors."

Vyse looked off to the side, silent. He swore he could feel his face still burning. He couldn't believe he had forgotten about that, however momentarily. Besides, he couldn't even think of how he would tell Aika, or anyone, about something as personal and embarrassing as that. It was, he decided, an unnecessary detail.

With only minimal words exchanged, the two got their things together and changed out of the spare clothes into their now-dry usual outfits. Once they finished and shortly after reached Vyse's base, Arianne and the Blue Rogue exchanged words of thanks and well-wishing and assurances that no recompense was needed, though there was only a gloomy silence from Ramirez. The two jumped from the Nightingale to Crescent Isle, near the flagpole that proudly bore Fina's designed flag.

Vyse waved with a smile to his benefactors at they set sail, the words he had exchanged with the crew tumbling through his mind, and as Ramirez stood beside him, he couldn't help but feel that he wouldn't have objected if they had decided to come onto the island and help him explain the situation to Aika and the others...

Because, as he walked down to the island still being rebuilt, the night sky illuminated by artificial lights for those who needed to see to build, he knew he would have a hard time clearing up this whole mess to his childhood friend, who was at that moment, along with Gilder, Fina and Enrique, approaching the two of them at a run.  
  
  


* * *

  
**NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal __Arcadia_ [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong.  
  
**Ayu:** Just so everyone knows, Ianthe and I already have the rest of _TDtMS_ planned out, right to the very end, so begging to do one thing or another isn't going to help. ^^ Also, we've managed a nice one-every-two-weeks update pattern for the past few chapters, this one included, but we've gotten a lot busier, and I can't guarantee that it'll be like that in the future, too. Thus, updates might get a lot more infrequent from now on—just giving you guys fair warning. We will try to make it one chapter per lunar cycle, which will still be better than it was for the first half of this year, but we can't make any guarantees, I'm afraid. In the meantime, if you like, re-read the previous chapters; Ianthe and I finally got around to editing them all, and some scenes have been changed, or things added, particularly in early chapters. Hey, at least it's something to do, eh? ^^;  
  
**Ayu:** The lyric-title this time is taken from all the way, the OP to Kino no Tabi. Full lyrics can be found, as always, at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!, the link to which you can (indirectly) find below.  
  
**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com**  
Contact Ianthe of d.I: ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))  
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net))**_


	17. Chapter 17: Wasurerarenai Kanashimi ha Y...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  
**Chapter 17:** Wasurerarenai Kanashimi ha Yozora shika Shiranai  
(_The Unforgettable Sorrow Knows Nothing But the Night Sky_)

  
  
  
  
  
Dangral Island had not been a pleasant experience for the temporary captain of the Delphinus and her companions, particularly the young Prince of Valua. Though they certainly had retrieved the plans for a ship that could dive into Deep Sky, they had gotten caught by Galcian on the way back, and had it not been for Gregorio's noble sacrifice, they would not be alive now. Plus, they still knew nothing of what had happened to Vyse and Ramirez..  
  
Although that was abruptly about to change.  
  
With a loud sigh and a stretch, Aika began to address her companions when she caught sight of someone walking down the strip of earth surrounding the spring on the other side of the island—Vyse. With a gasp of joy, she took off towards him, her delight in seeing her beloved friend safe and returned to them that the redhead didn't so much as notice the unobtrusive white-haired man behind him.  
  
Flinging her arms around him, she embraced Vyse tightly, but as she lifted her head from his shoulders, she saw a person she had not expected to see again; certainly, had hoped to never see again.  
  
Ramirez.  
  
"Aika, hey—" Vyse began, glad to see the girl so delighted, but his sentence abruptly ended in a sound very much like "WAUGH" as she shoved him aside, her boomerang already out.  
  
"YOU!!" she snarled, brandishing her weapon as if she stood a chance against the former Admiral.  
  
Ramirez stood impassive and heedless of the threat, as if he were carved stone, while Vyse stared wide-eyed and alarmed over at his enraged friend.  
  
"Aika, wait!" he cried.  
  
"Wait?! For what?!" she yelled, incensed. To her, seeing the male Silvite, who had nearly destroyed their base and taken their lives, and had kidnapped Vyse, on Crescent Isle was unforgivable, and she couldn't even begin to imagine what in the world could possess Vyse to lead him back here. "Why the hell is that bastard here?!"  
  
The brunet winced. "It's...a long story," he said lamely.  
  
"I told you she wouldn't be happy," Ramirez muttered.  
  
"Vyse," Enrique said, coming up along with Gilder and Fina, who respectively looked surprised and worried, "if it's a long story, I think you should explain it to us carefully."

The blue-clad rogue nodded and said, "Yeah, I just want to do it in a more private place..."  
  
"Vyse, you're not letting him back on our base, are you?" Aika cut in angrily, jabbing a finger at the Silvite.  
  
After a long moment of silence, he spoke. "I'll explain. Just let me explain everything."  
  
The redhead narrowed her brown eyes, gritting her teeth, but eventually she settled for casting Ramirez a glare of pure loathing before withdrawing her weapon. "There had better be a _damn_ good reason for this!"  
  
The five went up quickly to the meeting room, everyone but Vyse casting glances at Ramirez, who was forced into the middle, and once in the room carved into the small mountain, everyone took their seats.  
  
Before he spoke, Vyse couldn't help but glance over at the male Silvite, who, as before, seemed an emotionless statue. The young captain couldn't help but wonder if he would feel worse if Ramirez had worn an expression of sorrow; this emotionless mask seemed to him far more troubling...  
  
Fina, who uncertainly glanced at her childhood friend, was the first to speak up. "What exactly happened...?"  
  
Vyse scratched the back of his head nervously and said, "Well, the short version is that he let me go, but...you need to know the whole story..."  
  
Several pairs of eyes widened, two in surprise, one in curiosity, one in outright disbelief, and they all turned to Ramirez, who sat opposite the returned captain of the Delphinus.  
  
"He let you go?" Enrique queried quietly, his hands folded and his elbows resting on the table. "Yes, I think we'll need to hear the entire story..."  
  
Vyse glanced worriedly at Ramirez, then took a breath. Somehow, he just felt guilty about telling his friends a thing like this, even though the Silvite had betrayed him and nearly killed him.   
  
"I... well, you see... This is really difficult to say." He rubbed the back of his neck, painfully aware that now everyone's eyes but Ramirez's were on him. "It's...it's kind of..." He glanced furtively at the former Admiral, and finished, "...unbelievable." The brunet pirate took a deep breath, released it, and said, "Ramirez...quit the Armada."  
  
Not surprisingly, Aika quickly and angrily demanded, "Don't tell me you just ate his lies like _that_! How do you know he's not going to betray you _again_?"  
  
The brown-eyed rogue winced slightly, and he hesitated, distressed. He glanced at Ramirez again, but the former Admiral continued to gaze steadily, emptily, down at the table. There was no avoiding it; he had to tell the truth. That didn't keep him from wanting to stall, and after biting his lip for a second, he raised his voice and addressed the Silvite swordsman. "Hey, Ramirez—is it really all right with you that I tell them?"  
  
A slight nod was the only response.  
  
There wasn't anything left for Vyse to do to put off the inevitable, and after hesitating for a second, he sighed and reluctantly told his friends, "...Ramirez let me go because...he's in love with me."  
  
All but Vyse and Ramirez sat in stunned silence at this most unexpected pronouncement. Fina in particular had turned a pasty hue of white, and teetered slightly in her chair, as if she were on the verge of fainting.  
  
"...It's...that can't be true," the veiled Silvite said weakly. "Ramirez has done a...a lot of bad things, but...he wouldn't...he, he couldn't..."  
  
Vyse felt as if something in his chest had frozen and lodged itself there as he looked over at her, alarmed at her reaction. "Fina...? Is something wrong...?"   
  
The pale-blonde Silvite didn't reply, instead choosing to stare plaintively at the silver-haired young man sitting to her right. "It—it's not true, right?" she pleaded. "There's some other reason, right? Vyse misunderstood, right?"  
  
"No, he didn't," Ramirez said softly, breaking his self-imposed silence.  
  
There was a moment of awkward quiet before the former Admiral continued, "I made it quite obvious to Vyse that I love him. There is no way he could have misunderstood."  
  
Vyse flushed slightly and stared down at the table for a moment. /_Moons,_/ he prayed silently, /_let everything turn out all right..._/  
  
"And how," Aika demanded icily, recovering from her shock, "did you make it 'quite obvious'?"  
  
"I let him go free and then attempted suicide so that I would no longer have to choose between him and Lord Galcian," Ramirez replied in a monotone. "As you can see, though, Vyse kindly convinced me otherwise..."  
  
Yet another awkward silence permeated the air, and it was all that Aika could do to not leap to her feet, screaming in frustration and pulling at her pigtails. To her, the journey between point A and point B were invisible, and as such, the reasons—even possible ones—were completely incomprehensible to her. Added to the fact that his actions had marked him for complete distrust, and that apparently he was lusting after her best friend, it was quiet understandable that her knuckles were so pallid.  
  
By contrast, across the table from her, Fina felt, to put things mildly, light-headed. Ramirez had betrayed them and declared his utter hatred of her; that alone had been traumatic. However, this new revelation was almost more than she could stand. It was yet another violation of the mores with which she had been raised, and it was this one that finally convinced her of the fact that had been before her all long:  
  
He really had changed.  
  
The two girls, one seething with rage, the other faint with shock, sat in that all-encompassing quietude, neither moving nor speaking as long seconds ticked past.

It was Gilder who first spoke, shifting forward in his chair. "So, Vyse," he said, his tone and face serious, "what do you think of all this?"  
  
The addressed pirate couldn't answer at first; his mouth felt dry, and he involuntarily swallowed. "I...." he began. "...I didn't want to see him die. I didn't want him to kill himself."  
  
Gilder peered at the brunet rogue thoughtfully as Enrique uttered in surprise, "Vyse! Although I understand your feelings, are you certain it was wise to bring him back here?"  
  
The captain of the Delphinus grinned, but the gesture wasn't an enthusiastic one. "A lot of people asked me that, including myself," he replied. "And my answer is, it's the best option we have. Especially since," he added, inspiration striking him, "and you guys aren't going to believe this, but hear me out—we have to protect him."  
  
"WHAT!?" Aika exclaimed, rising from her seat and slamming her hands upon the table. "Protect HIM!? First of all, that—that—that MONSTER—I don't think we could beat him if we all worked together!!" Shooting him a nasty look, her memories of the Silver Eclipse far too fresh even if the wounds it had given her were not, she continued, "Second of all, even if he _did_ let you go, and even if he _did_ turn his back on the Armada, which I don't believe at _all_ even if he _claims_ to _love_ you," her disgusted emphasis on those words making her incredulity that much more obvious, "we don't owe him one damn thing! What the hell would we have to protect _him_ for?!"  
  
Vyse's shoulders sagged slightly; he had expected this kind of opposition, but Aika always managed to put things she hated in the worst possible light... Deciding that there was only one decisive way to prove his words to the others, he turned to the male Silvite and asked, "Ramirez, would you mind showing them?"  
  
The former Admiral did not respond for a moment; then, finally, he nodded once and lifted his hands, pulling his glove from his left hand as he did so. Aika quietly sat back down, mystified by and suspicious of the former Admiral's actions. Fina and the others minus Vyse also stared, but not for long, for shimmering silver rays of light were incandescing from the now bare hand. Ramirez outstretched his limb, his expression dead, which was a striking contrast to the appearance of the living stone that illuminated the entire room with its breathtaking brilliance.  
  
"This," the pale Silvite stated unemotionally, "is the Silver Crystal."  
  
Fina opened her mouth as if to say something, but stopped, obviously uncomfortable with addressing her former friend directly.  
  
In her place, Enrique queried, taken aback by this strange new turn of events, "Wasn't the—but it—did you have it all along?"  
  
"Yeah!" Aika declared, her indignation giving her an anchor from the second revelation. "Why isn't it in the Silver Shrine?!"  
  
"The Silver Moon Crystal _is_ in the Great Silver Shrine," the pale swordsman replied dully, his lackluster green eyes on the prettily flashing gemstone. "In pieces. This is one of them. Fina has one, too."  
  
"There's a piece of the Silver Moon Crystal in all Silvites," Vyse interjected, sensing that the Silvite male's evasiveness would only crop up more questions. "They're born with it—so Ramirez told me."  
  
Fina could keep silent no longer. "In...in my body?" she asked no one in particular, her face pallid. "Why...why was I never..."  
  
As the Silvite sitting across from him withdrew his hand and covered it with a glove as the Crystal disappeared from sight, the brunet rogue gently spoke, "The Elders wanted to protect you, Fina—they didn't want to tell you anything that wasn't necessary."  
  
"So they ended up telling you nothing at all," Ramirez interrupted, passion in the form of pure venom entering his voice for the first time since their arrival. "And you lived out your life in utter blissful ignorance of your true heritage. It must have been nice for you, Fina—never having to entertain more than a whit of thought in that pretty, empty head of yours."  
  
The female Silvite stared at Ramirez blankly for a moment while the others, stunned, stared at the two; then, tearing up, she buried her face in her hands and sobbed.  
  
"Ramirez!" Vyse yelled, upset at the swordsman's words and their effect on Fina, but he was one-upped by his childhood friend.  
  
"Ramirez, you've gone too far!" the orange-haired girl snarled, shoving her chair onto the floor as she stood abruptly, pulling back a fist as if to strike him.  
  
An artery of defiance flowing in Ramirez again, he glared at her and said sharply, coldly, "What? It's nothing that she doesn't deserve. It's disgusting how she knows nothing of the truth about us Silvites."  
  
Lifting her face from her hands, her cheeks painted messily with tears, Fina spoke tremulously, "How...how can you say such things...." Her shoulders shook as more tears fell from her verdure eyes, and with her voice strengthened from her self-righteousness, she continued, "...How can you say such things?! I... You call me disgusting...but _you_...you look at Vyse like that!"  
  
Ramirez tensed slightly, dropping his gaze to his knees; Vyse knew that she had hit a sensitive nerve, and although he couldn't blame her for attacking him back, he felt undeniably discomfited at hearing her say that. It was bad enough that Ramirez hated himself enough to want to die; this wasn't going to help matters at all...  
  
"That sure shut you up, didn't it?" Aika smirked, causing the brunet to flinch. "Can't say anything to _that_, can you?" She was glad for the chance to gloat, not only because of the structural, physical and emotional damage Ramirez had wreaked, but also because of the newly learned fact that _he_, the person she currently hated most in all the world, had the balls to claim to be in love with _her_ best friend and private crush. If it had been any other guy in love with any other guy, she wouldn't mind nearly as much... But this was _Ramirez_ hot for _Vyse_, and that simply made it personal.  
  
"I'm surprised that you even _can_ feel shame, though! After going and selling us out to Galcian, then having the balls to throw yourself onto Vyse... You really think _he's_ going to accept this bull about you being in love with him? I don't know _what_ you did, but you've already proven you're a liar and a backstabber. Vyse is clueless sometimes, but he's no dummy, although sometimes he makes me wonder, keeping _you_ around."  
  
Ramirez's shoulders sagged as he gave into despair once again, accepting the berating words miserably.  
  
"Aika..." Vyse said quietly, wanting her to stop, but fearing the questions that surely would arise if he did. After all, he had been betrayed, too, right? It wasn't as if he needed to defend the male Silvite from words he surely deserved. But still... For one of the few times in his life, the young rogue felt frustrated and impotent. /_It's just pity,_/ he told himself. /_Nothing more._/ That's all it was...  
  
"I know, I know," the orange-haired pirate girl said loudly with an exaggerated shrug, misunderstanding why her childhood friend had murmured her name. "He's got a piece of the Silver Crystal, right? We can't let Galcian get his mitts on it, now that he has the other five..." She shot the Silvite male a venomous glare and added, "We don't have a choice but to put up with him."  
  
Casting the depressed swordsman an unhappy glance, Vyse replied, "Er, right."  
  
"I suggest that we keep him under house arrest," Enrique input. "If he remains in his room, then that will eliminate any unfriendly confrontations between Ramirez and...certain members of the crew," he finished with a polite cough, carefully not looking at Aika.  
  
The pirate girl rolled her eyes in response to the obvious avoidance of naming her. "I don't have any problem with that. But he shouldn't be armed. If he does betray us again..." she said, letting the obvious go unstated.  
  
Wordlessly, even as the redhead spoke, Ramirez unfastened Ilazki from his sword belt and placed the silver sword on the table. When she finished, he slid the weapon across the table to Vyse, still without uttering a word. The Blue Rogue caught the weapon easily and tried to catch the Silvite's eye, but he had gone back to gazing gloomily at his lap. Aika, meanwhile, blinked at the suddenness of Ramirez's compliance, but said nothing.  
  
Gilder was the next person to speak up. "Vyse, now that that's been taken care of," he said, leaning forward slightly, "You need to be told what's happened since you were gone."  
  
The atmosphere of the room quickly became more somber in spite of everything, and the brown-eyed rogue was instantly attentive. "Yeah?"  
  
The Prince of Valua glanced at the redhead sitting next to him. "If you would begin the story, Aika?"  
  
She nodded with a slight sigh and launched into an explanation of how they had gone to rescue Vyse from the Monoceros in the Delphinus, and how when he had been found missing, they had decided that doing their own thing would be best since it would draw Valua's attention away from anything Vyse tried to do. Thus they had gone to Dangral Isle since, according to some information from Gilder, the Armada was building a ship that could go into Deep Sky there.  
  
"Things went pretty smoothly when we got there, and we even got the plans all right—we gave them to Brabham so he could fix up the Delphinus to let it go to Deep Sky, too," Aika continued. "But..." She glanced at Enrique.  
  
Enrique's expression became sorrowful, and he gazed down at some spot on the table for a moment before looking up again and speaking. "Galcian was there," he said, his voice low but steady. "If it hadn't been for Uncle Gregorio's sacrifice, we wouldn't have escaped..."  
  
Ramirez's shoulders tensed at the mention of his mentor's name, and though he showed no outward sign of it, he began to listen attentively.  
  
Aika nodded, picking up the slack. "When we were leaving Dangral Island after a run-in with Vigoro, our way was blocked by none other than Galcian himself. Gregorio appeared behind us, and we thought we were really screwed, but... Gregorio said that he thought that Valua was heading down the wrong path—and he told us that Galcian's planning to turn against the Empire."  
  
"Because of that," Enrique resumed, "I have to return to Valua to warn my mother. Regrettably, I must leave you all before long..."  
  
Aika was about to speak when Vyse interrupted, "Wait a second. Galcian's planning to turn against Valua? Why would he do that?"  
  
"Neither of them said," Gilder commented. "But we've got someone we can ask right here."  
  
Most of the sets of eyes in the room turned to Ramirez, their owners halfheartedly hoping for an explanation. The former Admiral, however, remained silent, his gaze cast downwards. Though he could not see the others looking at him, he could feel their stares boring into him.  
  
After several moments without speech, Aika sighed irritably. "Should have known we wouldn't get anything useful from him," she grumbled.  
  
The red-clad Air Pirate across the table shrugged. "It was worth a shot."  
  
The pigtail-haired girl shook her head, then said, "Anyway, the whole reason we went to Dangral in the first place, though, was because the Armada's looking for Fina's ship. If they get that, well, they'd be able to go and take the Silver Crystal from one of the Elders, right?"  
  
"Yeah, you're right," Vyse frowned, though he couldn't help but watch the former Admiral out of the corners of his eyes, wondering if that really was what they had been after. "There's something else that Ramirez didn't mention, by the way. Silvites aren't just born with a piece of the Silver Crystal in their bodies, it's also the source of their life, so if it's removed, they die."  
  
Fina sat up straight, alarmed and taken aback. "No!" she cried. "We—we can't let that happen!"  
  
The brunet nodded in agreement. "It's more than just that, though..." he added regretfully, and then relayed what Ramirez had told him about the Silvites' connections to the Rains of Destruction, as well as what Ramirez and Fina's true mission had been.  
  
Fina stared at him the entire time, her eyes wide with disbelief. "No...no!" she cried when it was over. "That...that can't be true..."  
  
Though at first stunned by the unexpected information, Gilder recovered quickly with a glance to the teenage Silvite, and quirking an incredulous eyebrow, he commented, "And how do you know he wasn't lying, Vyse? It's his word against Fina's, and doesn't it seem odd that she wouldn't have heard word one about something as big as _that_?"  
  
"It's what Ramirez told me," Vyse said unhappily. "It's true he could have been lying... But the only way to check if he was or not is to ask the Elders themselves, and to do that, we'll need Fina's ship, right?" He quirked a smile at his companions, the white-robed young lady in particular, hoping to comfort her. "We'll ask them ourselves and make sure of the truth that way. How does that sound?"  
  
"It's better than sitting around and doing nothing," Gilder shrugged, and the others, aside from Ramirez, nodded and murmured assent.  
  
"Well," Vyse said after a moment, "If that's everything..."  
  
"It seems that way," Enrique said quietly.  
  
"In that case, let's go through it once—after Brabham installs the Delphinus' new engine and everything, we're going to head down to Deep Sky to get Fina's ship, then drop Enrique off at Sailor's Isle so he can get back to Valua, then returning to Crescent Isle and heading to the Great Silver Shrine to talk to the Elders," the group's leader said firmly. "Everyone got that?"  
  
"You're missing something," Aika said dryly, jerking her head toward Ramirez.  
  
"...I'll take care of him," Vyse replied, his omission not entirely accidental. He hadn't wanted to mention 'and lock up Ramirez' on the list of things to do.  
  
His childhood friend gave his a glare that said 'You'd _better_', but she and the others, again minus Ramirez, just stood. Vyse, with the Silvite's sword in one hand, walked over to him as the others surrounded him, none of them too crazy about letting the one who had wrecked Crescent Isle out of their sight.  
  
"Hey," he addressed Ramirez quietly.   
  
The former Admiral shut his eyes and stood as well, an air of resignation around him as he stepped out to take his place in the procession, pushing his chair neatly back where it had been.  
  
Vyse, feeling he at least had to say something to Ramirez, to at least try to encourage him despite everything, said again, his voice still quiet, "Hey...at least you're able to stay here, right?"  
  
"Oh, yes, there's always that," Ramirez replied morosely. "I thank you all from the bottom of the gaping void in my soul."  
  
The young captain flinched slightly at the reply. He could almost swear that his former friend had gotten worse... Fina had also flinched, and Enrique had glanced at her worriedly, but Aika and Gilder weren't nearly so sympathetic.  
  
"You can can the theatrics," the latter said with a smirk. "Nobody's going to feel sorry for you."  
  
Ramirez merely glanced in his direction, then returned his gaze to the floor.  
  
"C'mon—walk, you," Aika demanded, prodding him in the back with the tip of her boomerang. He didn't need quite so much encouragement, though, and nearly all as one, the group moved.  
  
The trip to the living quarters, which had been repaired in everyone's absence, was not a noisy one. The first stop-off was, of course, Ramirez's old room, which had been refurnished with the assumption that Gilder would be living there instead.  
  
Without prompting, the male Silvite entered his former room. As Vyse began to pull the door shut, Ramirez looked over his shoulder at him, and the young captain halted, unable to break away from that look for a moment.  
  
/_I'm sorry,_/ Vyse thought but did not say, his expression one of repentant regret, /_but..._/  
  
And then he pulled the door shut and locked it.  
  
"Stupid drama queen," Aika grumbled as soon as they began to walk away. "He's got a lot of nerve, trying to put _us_ through a guilt trip."  
  
Her childhood friend glanced away, feeling uncomfortable, but he was saved from having to make a comment when Gilder laughed shortly and said, "Heh, tell me about it. Considering the rumors I've heard about him, I wouldn't have thought he'd be so melodramatic. Or was he always like that?"  
  
"Nah, he was a quiet jackass," she said dismissively. "Except for when he was making snide remarks, or threatening to kill Vyse."  
  
"He took that back, you know," the brunet rogue quietly interjected.  
  
An orange eyebrow raised, Aika reminded him, "And then went and tried to kill you anyway."  
  
Glancing away, Vyse said, "...He patched me up and let me go afterwards."  
  
"Vyse, you can't tell me you're still going easy on him after all _this_!" the redhead demanded, frustrated. "And don't tell me you believe that bull he fed you, either!"  
  
Equally frustrated, the captain of the Delphinus huffily replied, "I don't know what to believe, okay? In any case, we can't let Galcian get his hands on him, so we have to keep him here."  
  
Listening to the conversation, Gilder raised his eyebrows, but didn't comment.  
  
"In any case," Vyse continued, "he's not the biggest thing we have to worry about right now. We should have Brabham look over those plans so we can retrieve Fina's ship before the Valuans do..."  
  
Still slightly irritated, Aika muttered, "Yeah, okay."  
  
Next to her, Enrique, who had been watching the withdrawn Fina rather than participating in the conversation, said in a low voice to the Silvite girl, "Fina, are you going to be all right?"  
  
She smiled weakly at him. "...Yes, I'll be fine..."  
  
The redheaded young woman, listening to this exchange, stopped conversing with Vyse and placed a hand upon Fina's shoulder. "Hey," she said in a quiet tone, "if you want to rant about it... We'll all listen, all right?"  
  
Fina shook her head. "...No, that's okay..." she said softly.  
  
Gilder placed a hand upon Vyse's shoulder, startling the young rogue, and leaned down to whisper in his ear, "Why don't you talk to her later, Vyse? You're the one who heard all this from Ramirez to begin with."  
  
"Yeah, I'll do that," Vyse whispered back. He then hesitated and added, "Later, though... Can I talk to you, Gilder? There's something I've gotta ask you..."  
  
The older man merely raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "Yeah, sure," he replied, straightening himself.  
  
Smiling what he hoped was an encouraging smile, the young captain turned to his friends and said, "Well, we'll just have to do our best, all right?" They smiled in return, and together they headed off to the dock to Brabham about the installation.  
  
The inhabitants of Crescent Isle greeted their missing captain enthusiastically, and at length, he told them all an edited version of what had happened, along with the decision of what to do with Ramirez. The reactions to it varied, but everyone eventually agreed to abide by their captain's choice, although many did so reluctantly. Managing during a moment when the focus among the crew was on discussing what they had just heard, Vyse pulled Fina aside and asked her to meet him at the flagpole after everything had settled down. Full of things she needed to say to her friend, Fina agreed without reserve.  
  
That afternoon, the brown-eyed rogue headed towards the agreed-upon meeting place, where he could see the blonde Silvite already waiting for him.  
  
"Hey, Fina," he called as he approached, then continued when he was at her side, "Sorry to call you out here all of a sudden."  
  
The beautiful young woman looked away towards the horizon, her bangs masking her face—but Vyse could guess that her expression was likely a sad one. "...It's...okay..." she replied at length.  
  
The young rogue shook his head. "It can't be okay." He continued, clarifying his point, "After what Ramirez said to you... I'm sorry about it."  
  
"...I just wish I had realized sooner..." she whispered, blinking away tears as she held her hands to her chest. "He's been so full of anger and bitterness, and I never saw it... He even went so far as to look that way at you..." She glanced up at her companion anxiously. "You apologized to me on his behalf, but...I'm the one who should be doing so, to you. If he were the same as he had been when we were children, he'd never be that...that depraved."  
  
Vyse, feeling extremely uncomfortable, remained silent.  
  
"...So, please..." she continued, "forgive me for comparing him to you. I'm...so sorry about everything..."  
  
His voice slightly strained, the Air Pirate reassured her, "...It...it's not your fault."  
  
The viridian-eyed girl whispered, "...I know," and once more averted her gaze. After a moment of silence, she continued, "...I just wish things were different."  
  
"Trust me, you aren't the only one..." Vyse sighed. Then, seeking to change the subject, he added, "Is there anything else you want to talk about? I'd hate to leave you feeling depressed, and Ramirez is obviously a sore subject..."  
  
The lovely young lady pursed her lips, then glanced at him and said, "...I've been thinking... about what he said. Do you think it's true?"  
  
Vyse gazed up towards the sky, thinking for a moment before saying, "About the Elders sending you to get the Crystals to summon the Rains of Destruction, and you Silvites nearly destroying the world? ...I don't know. At the time, I did, but looking back, I guess that was naïve of me..."  
  
Fina sighed sadly. "...I would think they'd tell me, but... there's a lot I don't know. They never told me the Crystal was in my..._our_...bodies..." she murmured, her expression growing sad once more.  
  
The brunet man nodded. "Yeah; that, at least, we know is the truth, after Ramirez showed us his..." Noticing her growing depression and wanting to cheer her up, he added, "Well, like I said earlier, we'll only know the truth if we ask the Elders themselves, right?"  
  
He was rewarded by smile, however tinged by regret it might have been. "...You're right," she said, "I'm sure they'll explain..."  
  
Smiling in what he hoped was an encouraging manner, the young captain continued, "We'll take Ramirez to them, too. If he's up in the Great Silver Shrine, he can't hurt anybody, and the Elders won't let him hurt himself, right?"  
  
She nodded, then blinked, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to come forth. "...I'm sorry. It's just been too much," she whispered.  
  
Vyse hesitated for a moment, then put one of his arms across her shoulders, silently holding her.   
  
Stunned into silence, it was a moment before Fina, blushing, rested her head against the charming rogue's shoulder and whispered, "Thank you..."  
  
"It'll turn out all right in the end. I'm sure it will," Vyse said quietly, almost as much to himself as to her. She only gave a silent nod in reply. Gazing back up at the cumulus-decorated sky, he couldn't help but think of the young man who had brought about so much turmoil...  
  
/_...Ramirez... Would you really not have fallen for me before you joined Valua? Moons...I wonder if you used to think the same way about being gay that Fina does... If you did, no wonder you hate yourself so much now..._/  
  
His thoughts were interrupted when Fina asked, "Vyse?"  
  
Vyse blinked and looked down at her. "Yeah?" he asked in response.  
  
" ...What if... we don't get there in time? What if Valua gets the Silver Crystal? Then what will we do?" she asked, her worried eyes gazing up at him.  
  
"We'll deal with that if it happens. For right now, we just have to focus on working as hard as we can to get the Delphinus modified and finding your ship," her replied diplomatically.  
  
The young woman smiled, though her eyes were still sad, and said, "...I'll try." Without warning, she wrapped her arms around Vyse, then stepped back, her face red. "...Thank you," she murmured.  
  
The Blue Rogue was more than a little stunned, but still managed to say, "...You're welcome."  
  
Fina gazed into his eyes for a moment, then glanced away shyly. "...We... have a lot to do, right? I guess we shouldn't waste time standing here..." she said quietly, her cheeks still pink.  
  
"Uh...y-yeah," Vyse stuttered, then forced a smile. "Let's get going, then." With that, he quickly started back to the Delphinus, deep in fretful thought; after Ramirez had confessed to him so unexpectedly, he couldn't help but be jumpy about people showing him an unusual amount of affection, especially from the impressionable Silvite girl.  
  
Fina hesitated, wondering anxiously if she had been too forward, but quickly followed her friend.  
  
Work was made as quick as could be possible without sacrificing quality, and there was a great amount of progress, though it went far into the evening. When they finally decided to call it a night, Vyse went to talk to Gilder about his problems, but was stopped by Aika first.  
  
"Hey, Vyse," she said, her pretty face creased with worry. "I forgot to mention this before, but I heard that there's three people going around pretending to be you, me and Fina. I saw them on the wanted list at the Sailor's Guild a few days back. They're taking people's money and ruining our reputation, so we should find them and take care of them, all right?"  
  
"Yeah, I've heard of them, too," Vyse nodded, thinking back to Johan's warning. "It seems they're hanging out around Nasr, so after we've secured Fina's ship and dropped Enrique off, let's go there and deal with it, all right? Galcian won't be able to do anything without that ship, so we can take our time and take care of those kinds of things."  
  
The pigtailed girl grinned, reassured. "We'll teach those fakers to imitate us!" she winked. "Anyway, I'll talk to you later, Vyse. Good night!"  
  
He nodded and went on ahead, catching up with the crimson-clad Air Pirate, who was admiring the stars at the foot of the platform leading up to the meeting room, lazily smoking a cigar.  
  
"Hey, Gilder!" the brunet pirate smiled, approaching him. "You mind if I talk to you now?"  
  
"Sure, no problem," he said easily, getting to his feet. "What'd you want to say, kid?"  
  
Glancing out at the rest of the island, knowing that there would be people here and there who could listen in on something that would be painful enough to admit to just one person, Vyse lowered his voice and queried, "Actually, is it all right if we move up to the meeting room? It's more private there..."  
  
Shrugging, the dirty-blonde rogue said, "Sure," and stepped onto the platform. The young ship captain joined him, and with a pull of a lever, they were off.  
  
As the metal clicked up the mountain, Gilder inquired shrewdly, "Is this about Ramirez?"  
  
"...Yeah, it is," Vyse murmured, rubbing the back of his neck and blushing slightly. "The truth is, I left out something from when we were on the Monoceros... It's embarrassing, and I..." Swallowing, he looked at the older pirate as the platform locked onto its destination and clanked to a halt, and said, "You have to swear you'll never tell anybody about this, by the way."  
  
"Sure; Blue Rogue's honor," said the captain of the Claudia, his curiosity further piqued. He took one last drag of his cigar before he tossed it over the railing as he walked with his companion down the balcony into the meeting room.  
  
"Well..." Vyse hesitantly began when they had taken their seats, "this isn't something I think I could tell anybody... Aika and Fina would freak out, and Enrique—well, if I just wanted someone to listen, he'd be fine, but I'm kind of looking for some advice." He paused awkwardly, then went on, "And, um, I dunno how much experience you might have with what I'm about to tell you, if any, but you're the one most likely to, so..."  
  
"Well, we'll see when you tell me," Gilder reasoned. "So what's on your mind, kid?"  
  
Vyse hesitated again, his face reddening. "Y'see..." he mumbled, "well...you remember how Ramirez admitted he..uh..."  
  
"Yeah, I remember," Gilder cutting him off, conscientiously saving him from getting further flustered. "What about it?"  
  
Though he appreciated what Gilder did, it didn't help Vyse much, and his face turning a deeper crimson, he took a deep breath to calm himself, and finally said, "He...didn't just _tell_ me." He paused. "He showed me." Another pause as he ducked his head.  
  
"More than just by letting you go free," Gilder surmised.  
  
The brunet nodded once. "He...kissed me," he admitted, bracing himself.  
  
To his surprise, his fellow Blue Rogue wasn't shocked or disgusted or anything like that. On the contrary, he was amused. "I thought so," he grinned after taking another drag from his cigar. Upon seeing Vyse's dumbfounded expression, he explained, "Well, why else would you be so embarrassed? Unless he felt you up, which, even knowing the little I do about that guy, probably isn't something he'd do."  
  
"Er...yeah..." Vyse replied, ambivalent with relief and mortification. "So..."  
  
Gilder shrugged. "I haven't been around to know him that good, kid," he reminded the younger pirate, "so I can't tell you how to treat him. Far as I'm concerned, though, it's a good idea to keep that sword of his far away from him..."  
  
"Yeah, it's in my room," Vyse replied, thinking of the wicked-looking blade set at the foot of his bed. "But you really can't give me any advice at all? He's... He's got a lot of issues over betraying me for Galcian and then betraying Galcian for me, and I think it's tearing him up inside..."  
  
"Obviously," the handsome older pirate commented with a light smirk, "considering how melodramatic he was being."  
  
Vyse remained silent, prompting Gilder to ask him, "You're really taking him seriously, aren't you?"  
  
The young captain sighed and started to pace the room. "He was seriously about to kill himself before I stopped him. I think I might be the only thing keeping him from ending his life once and for all..." he said, voicing some of his musings.  
  
"And you don't want that to happen," the older pirate surmised.  
  
Halting his nervous pacing, the brunet rogue turned towards his friend with a look of disbelief in his eyes. "Well, obviously!" he said, exasperated.  
  
This only prompted Gilder to look at him curiously for a moment. "How do you feel about him?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Vyse asked, confused.  
  
"I'm asking you if you're hot for Ramirez, kid," Gilder said, bluntly restating his question.  
  
The blue-clad rogue blushed scarlet and stammered, "W—what?! I—I am not! I'm not gay!"  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"I'm _not_!" insisted the young captain, now a little more indignant than embarrassed.  
  
"I believe you, Vyse," Gilder said without any trace of sarcasm.  
  
"...Right," said the younger Blue Rogue, after taking a breath to calm down. "So...I don't love him...but I do care about him. He's my friend."  
  
"So you're not gay, then?" the dirty-blond pirate asked, this time with a smirk.  
  
"GILDER!" the brunet lad yelled, exasperated.  
  
His response only amused the older man. "Just making sure. You certain?" he asked again.  
  
"YES!" Vyse exclaimed.  
  
"What about bi?"  
  
The youth opened his mouth to shout a denial, then blinked, temporarily thrown by the unknown term. " ...What's bi?"  
  
"Bisexual," the older rogue clarified, surprised by Vyse's naïveté. "Means you like men _and_ women."  
  
The young ship captain's jaw dropped, and after a moment of trying to find his voice, he breathed, "That's _possible_?"  
  
Biting back laughter, Gilder replied with a wink, "Sure. I have a friend who's absolutely flaming, and his boyfriend likes the ladies almost as much as he likes the men."  
  
Vyse only gaped at his friend, floored by this revelation. Though he'd grown up around pirates and as pirates and as such knew a small bit about homosexuality, he'd never before heard the concept of bisexuality. He'd been under the impression for years that one could only be one or the other.  
  
Gilder shrugged. "I'm asking because you seem pretty damn fond of Ramirez for 'just friends'," he said.  
  
Momentarily tongue-tied, the brunet youth stammered, "I...uh..."   
  
"But if you say you're not gay, I guess you're not gay," the older man said. Vyse stood there looking very uncomfortable, but said nothing, and the playboy Air Pirate continued, the barest trace of an amused smirk on his lips, "Because you couldn't possibly be in denial."  
  
"...Uh, yeah..." the captain of the Delphinus murmured.  
  
"So, I assume you shot Ramirez down when he told you how he felt," Gilder said bracingly, moving back to the topic at hand.  
  
"...Well, yeah..." Vyse muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, recalling with some guilt how he'd brashly told the ex-Admiral that he hated him.  
  
"So now he's pining for you."  
  
"...Well...I don't know if he's _pining_..." Vyse said hesitantly.  
  
"So you want to know how to deal with that," the shades-wearing pirate continued, glossing over his companion's statement.  
  
"...Yeah, that works..." the brunet murmured, nervously shifting his weight.  
  
Gilder shrugged helplessly. "Well, to tell you the truth, I don't know. I deal with Clara by running away from her. Then again, she insists on chasing me. From the sound of it, Ramirez insists on trying to make himself die."  
  
He paused for a moment to let his friend say what he felt on his broad statement. Vyse, however, was silent, so Gilder continued, "Aika still wants him dead or at least maimed, and considering what Fina said, it doesn't sound like she's going to want to have anything to do with him anymore. The rest of the crew is probably going to be just as unforgiving, considering he lit Crescent Isle up like a Nasrad flame festival. Yet you say there isn't any better option than keeping him here?"  
  
The younger man sighed. "Believe me, he's dead-set on committing suicide," he said, his mind flickering back to that moment on the Monoceros, and then quickly shoving that memory aside.  
  
His expression serious, Gilder suggested without malice, "Might be for the best."  
  
"NO!" Vyse yelled out of reaction and disbelief at his companion's callousness. He quickly calmed down when he caught himself, and amended his hasty exclamation with, "...I mean...I don't like suicide."  
  
"Normally, I'd agree with you, but if he's dead, it'll make his piece of the Silver Crystal a lot easier to protect," the trenchcoat-wearing pirate reasoned practically. "You could bury it somewhere, drop it into Deep Sky—"  
  
A wave of anger rose inside the brunet lad as Gilder spoke. What was wrong with everyone? Why did it seem like the only option available was for Ramirez to die? There had to be another way! "I won't let Ramirez die!!" he yelled, voicing his inner convictions as much as responding to his friend's suggestion.  
  
The rugged rogue was taken aback for a moment by the younger man's sudden passion. He didn't think he had ever seen him this upset before. "Why not?" Gilder asked, attempting to find a reason for the outburst.  
  
Vyse shouted, "Because! He's my friend! And I _know_ he betrayed me. I really don't give a damn!"  
  
The sandy-blond Blue Rogue held up his hands in mock defeat. "Okay, okay! Still, if you've exhausted your options..."  
  
Sighing, the brunet captain forced himself to calm down and said, "I know, I know... So you really can't give me any advice on what to do, or say to him? I mean, even if you've only gone out with women..."  
  
The older pirate coughed, somewhat nervously. "Actually, about that..." he said apprehensively.  
  
"...Yeah?" the Blue Rogue asked, curious.  
  
Gilder gave him a sheepish smile. "Since you've told me something embarrassing, I'll return the favor—easier not to spill that way, eh?"  
  
"You got kissed by a guy, too?" Vyse guessed.  
  
The older pirate shrugged. "Heh...if only it'd been that simple," he said.  
  
"You're _gay_?" the captain of the Delphinus gawked.  
  
That assumption made the rugged man laugh freely. "You've seen my quarters on the Claudia, Vyse; what do you think?"  
  
The young swordsman considered. "...Okay, maybe not."  
  
"Anyway..." the captain of the Claudia resumed, scratching his stubble. "I was at a party, having a great time—free loqua, so I was getting sloshed and flirting with the lovely ladies." He paused. "Let me tell you now that I was drunk." He paused again, then emphasized, "_Really_ drunk."  
  
"Uh huh," Vyse said, mentally preparing himself for what came next.  
  
"So anyway," Gilder continued, "I hit on this one girl, and she took me up on my offers, and we headed to one of the back rooms, got nice and comfortable, got nice and _acquainted_..." The older pirate trailed off, and coughed before he went on, "Now, I was drunk, but I wasn't so drunk that I couldn't notice something was wrong after a few minutes..."  
  
Guessing where this story was going, the young pirate said, "...The girl was really a guy?"  
  
"He looked just like a woman!" the gunslinger protested in defense of his honor. "Girliest guy I've ever seen in my life! Of course, if I'd been sober, I would've noticed right away..." he added.  
  
"So you ended up making out with a man?" the young captain asked.  
  
Gilder paused, an uneasy look on his face. "...Little further than that," he said, not elaborating.  
  
"...You had sex with a _man_?" the young rogue gasped.  
  
The older pirate looked more than a bit put off. "Hey, now that's getting a bit too personal! Besides, that's not the point of this story. Anyway, the morning after, he was damn understanding. Made it a lot less embarrassing..."  
  
"Wow... What happened afterwards?" Vyse asked.  
  
"Well, I told you have a friend who's completely flaming, didn't I?" Gilder said.  
  
Blinking in surprise, the brunet man asked, "You became friends?!"  
  
He shrugged, pushing up his yellow shades, relaxing now that he was moving away from the part of the story that bothered him. "He was a surprisingly good person, and amusing to have around. We just made it strictly clear that I wasn't interested in men in spite of what I did while sauced up, and if he hit on me, I would hit him back in the face. Which would be a shame, 'cause there weren't a lot of women who had a face prettier than his."  
  
"...Uh huh," Vyse uttered, stunned.  
  
"So, Vyse," Gilder said, not seeing anything else that needed to be said, "if that's all you wanted to talk about, we'd best hit the sack."  
  
"...Yeah," the young captain murmured.  
  
The two exchanged good-nights, each heading back to his respective room, and even after he changed into his night clothes and settled into bed, Vyse couldn't stop mulling over the more experienced rogue's words.  
  
/_I wonder if Gilder has a point... Maybe I've just been resisting the idea... I didn't think too much of it before Ramirez revealed his plans, too; maybe I'm just using it as an excuse to keep him at arm's length._/ He rolled onto his side, staring blankly at the wall. /_...But I'm a captain, and lots of people are counting on me. I can't set them aside just for one person._/  
  
The young ship captain sighed, furrowing his brows. /_Arianne said I have to believe in him if I want to help him..._/ He smiled slightly. /_It's good advice. But Aika and the others won't be so understanding... There's too much to do right now. Maybe when things calm down I can try to work things through._/  
  
Vyse paused in his mental processes, unwilling to consider the thought that comes to mind. /_...If he's still alive by then..._/ Sitting up, unable to shrug off the sickening feeling, he fretted, /_Knowing Ramirez, he _would_ try to find some quiet way to die without anyone noticing..._  
  
/_Well, I'll just have the people who bring him his meals report to me on his condition, if he finishes his meals and stuff,_/ he added, determined. /_As soon as we've got Fina's ship, I'll visit him._/ The Blue Rogue's shoulders sagged, and he flopped back onto the mattress, staring up at the ceiling once again.** /**_...It's all I can do._/  
  
  
  
A couple of days later, the crew of the Delphinus finished adjustments to the vast vessel and began the expedition to Deep Sky. After several trials and tribulations, they managed to retrieve Fina's ship along with two pieces of a strange metal. Heady with their success, they turned to leave, but were intercepted by the latest incarnation of the Chameleon.  
  
The fight was a vicious, difficult one, but in the end, De Loco lost both the battle and his life, his wrecked ship sinking into the spiraling pitch. The Delphinus rose from the murky abyss into lighter air, and headed for Sailor's Isle to drop off Enrique, as had been agreed.  
  
Another ship battle awaited them before they reached the place, however, as Baltor demanded a rematch in his new ship. It was an easy victory for the Delphinus, however, even after the damage it had sustained from the tussle with De Loco.  
  
The group's parting with Enrique was bittersweet, but it was done bravely, with well-wishing of good luck to the young Prince. After watching him sail off to the north, Vyse and the ones stopped by the Sailor's Guild to sell information on discoveries they'd made and such, and along with cash, they received a Black Spot, the summons card of Piastol, a.k.a. the Angel of Death. Before fighting her, though, they stopped by Doc's ship to feed Maria's bird more Moonfish, and with all the transparent creatures they had collected, it grew to an enormous size. Maria delightedly thanked Vyse for his efforts, which prompted emphatic thanks in turn from Doc for the same things. Fina asked him more of what he knew of Ramirez's past, and she and Aika listened attentively as he told them—though Vyse, mindful of his agreement with Ramirez, refused to listen, much to his childhood friend's annoyance; she was of the opinion that after his betrayal, Vyse didn't need to honor any agreements with the ex-Admiral.  
  
That was how the situation remained, however, and what Fina and Aika learned remained a mystery to Vyse. They headed north from there to battle Piastol, who, as she had the first time they had fought, babbled on about vengeance and refused to explain herself. Vyse and company managed to beat her, and after listening to her swear to kill Vyse again and leaving, they set course for Nasrad to look for any information about their imposters. They didn't need information, though, because it was there that they found them—a trio of entertainers specializing in impersonation, calling themselves Vize, Anita and Faina. They turned out murderous, so after a large scuffle aboard the Delphinus away from the city, the imposters were made to apologize and promise to cut it out. Satisfied with that, Vyse and company then turned a search for new crewmembers, sailing up to the higher altitudes, where there was less resistance and no monsters, to cut down on time.  
  
They spent the next few days sailing speedily around the world, finding people willing to offer their talents. Above Valua they found the alchemist Ilchymis, who gladly joined when he learned Fina knew the spell Riselem, and north of Yafutoma, Ryu-kan the weaponsmith was sufficiently impressed by Vyse's valor and bravery to leave his tiny island and board the Delphinus. In Horteka, a conversation with a girl named Meridia revealed that she had sent out a message in a bottle that Vyse and the others had found floating around the tower at Sailor's Isle lunar cycles back, and she, too, joined as an entertainer. Hans, in the same village, promised to join after he finished working with his 'father', Centime. To the south, they found the trio of savage women called the Ixa'ness Demons, and after a surprising moment where they squealed about how handsome Vyse and Gilder were, a rather large scuffle ensued where Vyse and company emerged victorious over yet another of the hits on the Sailor's Guild bounty list.  
  
A return to Esperanza to see how the people there were doing caused Vyse and Aika's paths to cross again with Don, who, upon learning that they had sailed around the world, was filled again with the desire to sail, and abandoning his life of despair—though not his loqua—he joined the growing ranks of the crew of the Delphinus as a backup helmsman. Then, when Vyse allowed Don the pleasure of being able to sail through the Dark Rift without a problem, they found there, along with the floating black Moonstone from their last visit with its top curiously shattered like an eggshell, a ragged man in one of the crashed ships who had lost his memory—who turned out to be Polly's long-lost husband, Robinson. After a joyful reunion, Robinson, too, stepped aboard the mighty Valuan ship, joining Marco in work as a sailor.  
  
Ecstatic by the addition of so many new members, the captain decided that that was enough sailing and re-exploring for now, and to return to Crescent Isle. It was when the base was in sight from the bridge that Aika called an impromptu meeting with her friends.  
  
"Hey, Vyse, everyone," she called, motioning towards the captain's chair, where she currently stood.  
  
Looking back behind him quizzically, Vyse called back, "Yeah, sure." Leaving control of the wheel to Lawrence, he, Fina and Gilder joined the redheaded pirate girl.  
  
Crossing her arms, the brown-eyed Blue Rogue faced her friends and began, "Now, we're about to return to Crescent Isle. The logical thing is to go straight to the Great Silver Shrine, right?"  
  
At her statement, the white-robed Silvite glanced away, her gaze troubled.  
  
Aika did not miss it; she hardly could, since her friend's feelings had been the point of the get-together. "...Well..." she continued, then hesitated.  
  
Gilder, who also noticed Fina's distress, queried, "Do you think we should get some down time first, Aika? The Delphinus just gained some new crew members, and it might be best to let them get used to life as Blue Rogues before their captain goes sailing into the great blue yonder."  
  
Nodding gratefully, the pirate girl smiled and replied, "Besides, I think we need a break, too. Things have been so crazy lately. Plus, we should prepare for our trip."  
  
"Sounds good," Vyse agreed. "We should get preparations done in the meantime anyway. In any case, without Fina's ship, Galcian can't get to the Silver Shrine, so we don't need to hurry." With a smile at Fina—having also noticed her silent discomfort—he gently asked, "Does that sound good to you, Fina?"  
  
Relieved at their understanding and sympathy, the young Silvite lady smiled back and nodded to her friends. "...Yes. Thank you."  
  
"All right, it's a plan!" the young ship captain cheered with a grin, and his friends cheered along with him, their enthusiasm returning. They set foot again on Crescent Isle a short while after and unloaded Fina's ship. When the work was done, though, Vyse, unable to forget about Ramirez and worrying about him after all the days that had passed, excused himself and headed for the depressed Silvite's room.  
  
/_...How many days has it been since I talked to him last?_/ he wondered as he approached the place where the former Admiral slept. /_It must be twelve by now... I wonder how he's doing..._/  
  
Reaching the door, he unlocked and opened it, and warily stepped inside, not knowing what to expect. The room itself was very dark, as the window drapes were drawn shut. "Ramirez?" Vyse called; there was no reply. Beginning to worry, he called again, "Ramirez, are you in here? Answer me!"  
  
There was a small motion in the darkness, and from the light creeping in behind Vyse, the young pirate could see a hand being waved unenthusiastically from behind the foot of the bed. Relieved at the response, however nonverbal, he stepped inside and pushed the door shut. It wasn't a particularly brilliant move, since it suffused the entire room with darkness, but Vyse headed—and occasionally stumbled—over to the drapes.  
  
"Please leave them closed," Ramirez said faintly, but the Blue Rogue didn't hear him and ended up throwing them fully open, causing the Silvite to wince from the sudden brightness.  
  
The Air Pirate turned to the ex-Admiral then, but hesitated; Ramirez had his legs clutched to his chest, his hair decidedly disheveled and his clothes, the uniform from Valua he wore almost obsessively, creased and probably dirty. That was only seeing him curled up, too, Vyse realized, and feeling slightly ill at ease, he kneeled down, peering at his former friend.  
  
"...Uh, hi?" he ventured.  
  
"...It's too bright," Ramirez murmured.  
  
This time, the brunet could hear him, and standing up hastily, he said, "...Ah, sorry..." He drew the drapes shut and queried, "Is that better?"  
  
There was a slight pause as the pale man lifted his face from his knees. "...It'll do."  
  
"It's been a while since we last talked, huh?" Vyse began somewhat awkwardly, walking over to and sitting on the bed.  
  
Ramirez nodded silently, not looking at him.  
  
"...Are you all right, staying here?"  
  
Quietly, the Silvite replied, "...I don't have anywhere else to go."  
  
"No, I meant..." Vyse hastily began, glancing away, feeling oddly flustered. "Are you getting enough food? Are you comfortable? Nobody harassing you?"  
  
His voice little more than monotone, Ramirez said, "You don't have to worry about me."  
  
Stung by his fellow swordsman's apathy, Vyse said, "Well...I do anyway. You should know that by now."  
  
Still monotone, he nodded vaguely and replied, "I know."  
  
Falling into an awkward silence, Vyse averted his eyes, blushing slightly. /_Dammit... What am I getting flustered for now?_/ he wondered, and almost immediately, he recalled his conversation with Gilder. /_...I..._/ Turning his gaze back at Ramirez, he spoke up again, "...You don't have to hold back, you know? If you're upset, if you want to talk or even yell...I'll listen either way, okay? It's...the least I can do."  
  
"I don't have anything to talk about," the Silvite murmured, then paused, and glanced up at the young pirate. "...You don't owe me anything, Vyse..."  
  
Frustrated, Vyse stood and faced the despondent man, beginning, "Ramirez, I—" He stopped himself abruptly and took a deep breath, trying to reign in his tumultuous feelings, and started over. "...You stayed with me. You...you didn't kill yourself. There must have been tons of opportunities for it... I couldn't stay around you all the time." He shifted his gaze to the side. "So... It must hurt you...to give up what you want to keep me happy. So...um..." He trailed off, blushing and rubbing his neck, unsure of what else to say.  
  
Ramirez was also slightly flushed, and he too glanced away, shoving the welling feelings aside, believing that they would never become anything. "...Vyse. You can't keep me alive forever. Don't say anything," he added sharply when the brunet looked back at him; "you have to know that it would be easier for you if I died." The silver-haired man raised his left hand slowly and regarded it as he paused. "...I could give this to you. It would be easier to protect."  
  
"NO!" Vyse denied vehemently, immediately dropping down to his knees and grabbing Ramirez's hand with both of his own, prompting a startled stare. His eyes trembling, the rogue yelled, "Who cares about a stupid crystal, anyway?! It's _you_ I want to...protect..." Realizing what he was saying and how it must sound, he abruptly released the crystal-concealing appendage and stared down at his knees.  
  
The Silvite swordsman continued to stare at Vyse, temporarily dumbfounded; eventually he lowered his gaze to the floor, his heart pounding.  
  
Blushing furiously, the pirate offered, "Uh...um...sorry..."  
  
Still not looking at Vyse and not sounding as if he meant it, Ramirez softly replied, "...It's all right..."  
  
The Blue Rogue's heart thudded against his ribcage as he kept his eyes fixed on his knees. "...I...I guess if that's it...I'll get going..."  
  
Ramirez simply nodded silently.  
  
The captain of the Delphinus rose to his feet and stumbled back, feeling self-conscious. "Um...I'll come see you later, okay?"  
  
"...If you want."  
  
"Right, then..." the brunet murmured before taking another step back, conscientiously shutting the curtains and quickly leaving the room, looking the door behind him. He stopped there after pulling out the key, his gaze unfocused and his chest feeling oddly tight, for a moment before he turned to head back.  
  
He didn't get far before his childhood friend intercepted him, looking slightly disturbed. Taking one look at Vyse's face, she surmised, "...You talked to him, didn't you."  
  
The taller rogue stiffened. "...Yeah."  
  
"You know how I can tell?" Aika asked, then continued without waiting for a reply, "You look upset."  
  
"...Do I?" Vyse queried vaguely.  
  
The redhead nodded firmly, sensing his attempt at evasiveness. "And it's not like you at all," she declared. "What did you two talk about?"  
  
"Well, I just wanted to see how he was doing," he said noncommittally. He hesitated, then, feeling that he owed his friend at least a small measure of detailed truth, reluctantly added, "He... still wants to die."  
  
"...Vyse..." Aika murmured, furrowing her brow. She hesitated; she wanted to speak her mind, but considering how Vyse was acting over the former Admiral, it was likely he wouldn't take it well. However, the pirate girl never could be demure for long, and she said, "I know how you feel about that, and I don't like it either, but... Who _cares_ if he dies! He only causes us trouble, anyway!"  
  
Still upset over the Silvite's nihilism, he snapped, "Shut up, Aika! I don't want to hear that from you!!"  
  
"What's wrong with you?!" she nearly shouted. "You should hate him more than anyone!!"  
  
"That's not important!" Vyse replied hotly. "Why do _you_ want him to die so badly!?  
  
Angered by her childhood friend's blatant favor of the traitorous Silvite, Aika demanded, "How can you even ask that when he wrecked Crescent Isle and nearly killed you?!"  
  
Vyse glared at her, then shook his head and said, though he knew she was right, "Just _shut up_!!"  
  
The pigtailed girl blinked back welling tears of frustration and fury and yelled, "Vyse, what is _wrong_ with you?! Why are you trying to defend him!?"  
  
Taken aback both by her impending tears and his own attitude, Vyse stammered, "I...I..." Guilt and abashment welled up inside of him, and he paused before finishing, "...I'm sorry, Aika. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. I...guess I'm just upset about the things he said."  
  
The yellow-clad pirate girl also paused, taking the time to swipe at her eyes with the back of her hand. "...Yeah," she murmured. "I'm sorry too... It's just, he took you away, and I was scared for a while I'd never see you again..." Swallowing hard at the memory, she blinked rapidly to try to hold back freshly forming tears.  
  
Vyse shook his head, not noticing. "No, I just didn't consider how you felt. It's my fault. I just keep thinking I can save him without even considering about how you guys feel about."  
  
Aika was silent for a moment, then queried, her curiosity raising its head, "...So what did he say, anyway?"  
  
"He...just told me that he's better off dead and that I could protect the Crystal better than him," the brunet pirate replied, glancing to the side.  
  
"...Vyse...why do you want to 'save' him, anyway?" the redhead inquired, trying to sound gentle.  
  
Praying his face wasn't turning red, the captain of the Delphinus muttered, "I... well... he gave up a lot for me. I guess I want to help him. ...I really don't think he's faking."  
  
Peering at her childhood friend, Aika queried, "Do you think he's not faking being in love with you, too?"  
  
Vyse felt himself flush vibrantly and mentally cursed himself for it. "...No, I don't think so..."  
  
The crimson on his face didn't pass by the orange-haired girl's notice, and with a frown, she inquired, "...Why not? I can hardly believe he's _capable_ of love."  
  
"Well, uh... you see..." the brown-eyed rogue began, extremely unwilling to reveal what Ramirez had done on the Monoceros. He glanced at Aika and fell silent, but she simply waiting patiently, her arms crossed. "...Um... how do I say this... I... ah... could we go somewhere private?"  
  
She nodded, and they headed to her room. Once inside, Aika sat on her bed, letting Vyse take the chair next to her desk, and looked at him expectantly, though with a certain degree of dread.  
  
Vyse regarded his old friend for a moment, then sighed. "Aika, I know you won't give up until I tell you, but please don't tell anyone else." A pause. "He kissed me."  
  
The redheaded girl didn't know precisely what to expect, and the revelation certain shouldn't have surprised her, but nonetheless, her jaw dropped in outrage. "...He _what_?!"  
  
Wincing at her reaction, he muttered, "...Yeah."  
  
"That—that—" she began to rant, then jumped to her feet, paced a few sharp steps, and stopped, looking positively murderous. "That BASTARD!! How dare he do that?!!"  
  
"Aika!" he protested in alarm. "It...wasn't that big a deal..."  
  
"How can you be so calm about it?!" she demanded. "He _kissed_ you, Vyse!!"  
  
Discomfited, he glanced away and muttered, "...Well, I got over it... I mean, it's not the end of the world, right?"  
  
She simply stared at him for a moment before shaking her head in disgust. "Well, I can't believe him, anyway. That—ugh!!" She shook her head again, this time more violently.  
  
With a definite feeling of unease, Vyse assured his friend, "...It's okay."  
  
"It's just, it's disgusting," she said, her tone matching her words. "_He's_ disgusting. I can barely stand to think about him."  
  
The taller pirate shifted somewhat nervously in his seat, wondering if it was homosexuality that his orange-haired companion found so disgusting or if it was just Ramirez. He wasn't sure which would be worse. "Yeah, well..."  
  
Beginning to calm down, Aika sat again and sighed. "Yeah, I know. It wouldn't be right to kill him. Mind you, I'd be looking the other way if he were starting to do himself in... But you feel differently, obviously."  
  
"I just don't like suicide," the brunet said softly.  
  
"Yeah, I know you don't," the pirate girl said with a note of resignation. "...And normally, I don't, either. But for him, I'm willing to make an exception."  
  
Vyse merely shrugged, trying to hide his growing inner turmoil.  
  
"Well..." Aika began, wondering if she had said too much, "don't let him get to you so much in the future, okay? It's depressing to see you get discouraged..."  
  
"Sorry," he replied with an apologetic smile, their brown eyes meeting. "I know I shouldn't dwell on it, but..."  
  
The redhead gazed at him, her lips slightly parted for a yet unborn reply; ultimately, she gave up on words, and simply stood, walked over to her beloved friend, leaned forward and hugged him.  
  
A bit surprised by the suddenness, Vyse said, "Hey, I'll be okay, all right? But thanks..." Awkwardly because of his sitting position, he hugged her back.  
  
She squeezed him more tightly and murmured, "Vyse, you dummy..."  
  
"Eh?" the brown-eyed lad uttered, confused.  
  
She sniffed slightly and pulled away. "Nothing." Aika then sighed and smiled at him.  
  
"I'll be okay," Vyse insisted, staring at her. "I promise."  
  
His childhood friend nodded; she did so want to believe him. "Okay."  
  
  
  
Vyse returned to his room that night tired from the day's exertions and vaguely disheartened from his encounter with Ramirez. He tossed off his beige boots and flopped himself onto his bed with a frustrated sigh, folding his arms under his head and pulling off his clear goggle as he stared up at the ceiling.  
  
He had much to think about, he knew, tossing his eyepatch onto the nearby desk. Between the talks he'd had with Gilder, Fina, Aika and Ramirez, he wasn't sure what to think anymore—much less how he felt, about the troublesome ex-Admiral or otherwise.  
  
When he thought back on his conversation with the older Blue Rogue, the captain of the Delphinus got the distinct impression that he'd simply been humoring him when he had said he believed him when he'd said he wasn't gay, which Vyse found somewhat irritating; then again, he couldn't blame Gilder, considering how he'd been acting lately. Still, the gun-slinging pirate had seen the two of them together for less than a week; it was pretty unfair of him to come to that conclusion...  
  
_Even if it were true.  
  
_Vyse rolled onto his side, furrowing his brows anxiously; he didn't want to think about that. He didn't want to, but it beat down the door to his cerebrum, planted its imaginary ass in the master's chair and demanded instant attention, declaring that, well, wasn't it true that Gilder had a lot more experience with this kind of thing? Maybe he _could_ tell just by watching for a short time. Hell, wasn't that why Vyse had gone to talk to him in the first place—because he was supposed to know these things?  
  
/_But he's into women,_/ the brunet rogue told himself. /_That doesn't mean he might know anything about...gay people._/  
  
Even though he's friends with one?, the thought slyly queried.  
  
/_But that doesn't necessarily mean anything,_/ Vyse replied, feeling uncomfortable yet again. /_In any case, at least he didn't seem put off by it. That's more than I can say for Fina and Aika..._/ He sighed, thinking of his female companions. /_Dammit... I know they've got reason to dislike Ramirez, and I don't blame them for it, but I wish they wouldn't go _that_ far..._/  
  
Vyse didn't want to submit to the thought that had now arrived, asking him if that wasn't because he had feelings for the Silvite swordsman—feelings that went beyond mere friendship—because it was difficult enough at the moment trying to deal with the fact that Aika and Fina now both deplored Ramirez for falling for the wrong person. If the former Admiral had fallen for his childhood friend and then betrayed them, would the girls still be this angry and hurt? The Blue Rogue had no way of knowing, and he doubted he'd get an unbiased answer if he were to ask. He did think, however, about what he had told the Silvite: "It's _you_ I want to protect."  
  
/_Heh..._/ he thought with a small, ironic smile. /_It's kind of funny, me wanting to protect someone who's stronger than I am..._/  
  
Would that be love?  
  
Vyse rolled again, grabbing his pillow and burying his face in it. How _could_ it be love? The timing was bad, anyway; he was probably just mistaking it for pity laced with guilt, and he knew Ramirez would rather die than accept something like that...  
  
The Blue Rogue grimaced at his mental choice of words. Ramirez, he knew, would rather die right now than do many other things.  
  
With a noise of aggravation, the brunet set his pillow back underneath his head and focused his efforts on falling asleep rather than pondering his private life.  
  
  
  
Galcian was not pleased.  
  
His former Vice Captain had, along with the Air Pirate Vyse, gone missing again, under circumstances even more bewildering and nonsensical than the first occasion. Ramirez was certainly no fool; he would not give Vyse any unnecessary advantages—that was to say, any advantages whatsoever. Furthermore, the Silvite had been able to soundly beat the Air Pirate and his companions; there certainly wasn't a question of skill involved. It was possible that there had been a trick involved, like the first time, but the Grand Admiral knew his most loyal servant too well to think that he would fall for something like that again. And there was a slight possibility that Ramirez had let down his guard, thinking that there was no way that Vyse could escape with the odds stacked so highly against him, and that had caused his undoing... But if that were the case, where had Ramirez himself gone? Even if, through some horrible turn of chance, Vyse had bested and killed him, there should be some traces of his remains, not to mention signs of a scuffle.  
  
The entire situation was far too suspicious. There had been no signs of a struggle. There was no trace of Ramirez or Vyse, and their respective weapons and equipment were all gone. Ramirez had specifically relieved the guards posted outside Vyse's cell before schedule, and that had been the last time anyone had seen him. Furthermore, there was a lifeboat missing...  
  
It was not a thought the man enjoyed entertaining, but the logical conclusion was that Ramirez and Vyse had left the ship together.  
  
The only problem with this "logical" conclusion was that it was completely _il_logical. It was not something Ramirez would do. Ever. Except, unless Galcian had utterly misread the signs, he had. But, the Grand Admiral decided, that wasn't the nost important issue at hand. What was important was the continued existance of that Blue Rogue. This made three times he had escaped from the Valuans—three times too many.  
  
Galcian smirked. Vyse would naturally try to return to his base; it was his home, after all, and he was needed as its leader now that it had been partially destroyed. He would want to contact his companions aside.  
  
The infernal Blue Rogue wouldn't be allowed to do as he pleased any longer. This time, Galcian would visit Crescent Isle again—with the intentions of destroying it by his own hands. He would not be satisfied until he had personally executed Vyse and witnessed his bloody, preferably dismembered corpse.  
  
If he were in pieces, after all, then there was no way the devious Air Pirate could escape from the Reaper.  
  
  
  
There wasn't a time in the day where Ramirez wasn't aware of the darkness that clung like ivy to his psyche, but somehow, when he gazed at the stars as he did now, he was reminded not only of the wrongs that Arcadians had dealt him, but of the innocence and trust that pervaded him in his youth—and how he retained none of it now. The constellations that twinkled in the heavens, the same constellations he had gazed at wonderingly as a boy, never failed to bring how far he had traveled since those days to his notice. Not so long a time ago, he had regarded the changes in himself with a sort of bitter, self-elevating pride; he had been hurt, he had been unfairly prosecuted, he had been witness to the ugliness that was humanity, but still he would bring about its salvation by working to help Lord Galcian in his efforts, no matter what. It was a brutal salvation that would result in the deaths of hundreds if not thousands of people, but that what something about which the Silvite swordsman didn't care; aside from the Grand Admiral, humans were nothing but scum, after all, and they deserved the fate that they had earned.  
  
Lately, though, he had begun to wonder if he was truly any better than other Arcadians; he, too, was capable of deception, manipulation, betrayal and sadism. Was he truly in a position to be judging others? Why had Lord Galcian chosen him to walk by his side? It had been seven years ago since they first met, and the mighty soldier laughingly called him a fool for trusting others so blindly. He had declared that he trusted nothing and no one but power, and that he sought out the greatest power there was...  
  
Sitting in his windowsill and gazing past the parted curtains at the tiny sparkling specks of sand in the sky, Ramirez felt cold and empty. In the end, he proved Lord Galcian right; nobody _could_ trust anyone else... He was no different than the humans he despised. He was just as filthy...  
  
He couldn't find Wilwarin in the sky; the angle from this window prevented it. It felt appropriate that now even the Butterfly, which before always could be seen in the heavens, was invisible to him now... /_Perhaps it is the same with Vyse,_/ he pondered despondently. /_After all that has happened, I can no longer see him clearly. His inexhaustible zeal, his inextinguishable optimism... They're like stars that have journeyed too far away from me. The only thing I can see now,_/ and he shifted his jade-colored eyes to a collection of stars near the zenith, /_is Michaol, the Fallen Angel. It is all too appropriate; I am, like him, no longer anything more than a messenger from the heavens fallen to the earth and soiled. That being, who had been presumptuous and thusly punished for it, was trapped in the ether far away from the creatures whom he had, according to the Silvites, wanted to control, and according to the Arcadians, wanted to protect...and I am trapped far away from everyone—those I wished to control, those I wished to destroy, those I wished to protect... I am now merely an earthbound Michaol, unable to gaze at the Wilwarin I adore._/  
  
Ramirez moved back onto his desk, pulling shut the curtains, and quietly slipped off, his bare feet touching the cool floor. His talk with the captain of the Delphinus had inspired him to look to the heavens, but in the end, the night sky was nothing more than a reminder of his downfall. With a faint sigh, the former Admiral walked over to his bed and collapsed upon it, wrapped up in his thoughts. Eventually, he managed to surrender his mind to oblivion and slept a few fitful hours.  
  
By the time morning had come and he had returned to consciousness, to his spot at the foot of the bed, the Silvite had sunk back into a pit of suspended emotion. He knew he was pathetic, but he was past caring by that point. Even attempting death seemed like too much of an effort anymore; he would just huddle in his corner or drape himself onto his bed, hiding from the light, hiding from the outside world, barely acknowledging those who occasionally dropped by to give him food and drink, which he half-heartedly consumed for Vyse's sake.  
  
Vyse. The Silvite wasn't sure if he loved him or hated him anymore. What did it matter to him if he lived or died? Why did he have to pretend so convincingly that he cared... The Silvite sighed and leaned his head against the wall. His own passivity sickened him, but he didn't have the will or wish to do anything about it.  
  
And so he stayed there.  
  
/_It would be nice,_/ he thought idly, /_if Vyse would just end my worthless life by his own hands... Or if he would at least stop tormenting me by bringing some form of closure to all of this._/ The silver-haired man almost smiled bitterly, but the effort wasn't one he was willing to undertake. /_If I didn't know him better, I would think he enjoyed teasing me..._/  
  
It was painful to think too long about the young pirate, however. /_It would be better if he didn't come to check on me..._/ he thought, though, as everything was with him as of late, he was also somewhat cheered that Vyse hadn't forgotten him after all...  
  
It was a miserable, disgusting life he now led, simply waiting for nothing, simultaneously yearning for and pushing away the charismatic rogue. Even now, he couldn't help but wish yet again, in spite of the melancholy it unfailingly rained down on him, to see Vyse again.  
  
Ramirez shut his eyes and rested his head on his knees, lonely, but it wasn't long after that he heard the familiar sound of a key undoing a lock. The former Admiral tried to ignore it, but a surge of hope sank its thorns into his chest, demanding that he think perhaps the handsome brunet had come to visit again—  
  
His wishes, such as they were, were answered when Vyse's voice called from the doorway, "Hey, are you awake?" Without waiting for a reply, the Blue Rogue stepped inside and shut the door behind him, and continued, "I brought you some food."  
  
Ramirez didn't reply; his voice was stuck somewhere in his throat, and so he merely watched the captain of the Delphinus make his way over again to the window and opens the drapes partially. Vyse set the plate he had brought with him down on the desk and glanced at the corner.  
  
His brown eyes met Ramirez's green ones, and they stared at each other for several seconds before the Silvite dropped his gaze and slowly rose to his feet.  
  
Vyse shifted nervously. "I, uh, just dropped by to give you some food, and tell you we're going to have another meeting in a couple hours. We'll escort you with us to the meeting room, because part of it is going to be about what to do with you."  
  
The ex-Admiral nodded listlessly.  
  
The captain of the Delphinus shifted again. "Well...I guess I'll leave, then," he continued, then added quickly, "unless you want to talk."  
  
The Silvite paused, his mind bereft of possible replies to this unexpected offer. After a moment, he cautiously queried, "...Talk about what?"  
  
"Anything," Vyse said a bit hastily. Then with a shake of his head, he corrected himself, "About what's going on. About how you feel about it, and what you want to happen. Knowing you, you'll probably end up saying nothing at the meeting..."  
  
Ramirez looked at him, his gaze sedate, and pulled the chair out from the desk and sat. "Don't you have other duties to attend to?" he replied, his apathetic tone belying his accusatory inquiries. "Other, more important things? As long as I can be taken care of neatly without sacrificing my life, what do _my_ feelings have to do with anything?"  
  
The Blue Rogue looked away, feeling guilty. "Ramirez," he began, glancing back over at the Silvite, "I do care about how you feel. I didn't come just to bring you food; I wanted to see how you were doing, too..."  
  
The shorter swordsman picked up one of the sandwiches from the plate and took a small bite, his jade eyes fixed on a distant point outside the window. "I'm fine," he lied after swallowing.  
  
Vyse shook his head. "No, you're not fine. No one would be 'fine' after all this."  
  
"You're right," Ramirez conceded. "I was lying."  
  
"Well, is there anything I can do for you? You can say anything, even if you want me to stop bugging you," the brunet youth asked.  
  
There was a pause from the silver-haired man, the faint smirk of someone who can't help but challenge an abrasively broad promise on his lips. Setting down his sandwich, Ramirez stood, faced Vyse, and replied calmly and unabashedly, his tone too even to convey his intended sarcasm, "Oh, yes. You can take me into your arms, kiss me with all your strength, throw me onto the bed and make passionate love to me. But barring that, I'll accept a simple hug."  
  
Vyse's face was plastered for a long moment with a crimson blush. /_I... I never expected him to be that explicit..._/ he thought to himself, /_but I_ did_ ask him to say_ anything_..._/  
  
"...Well..." he said after that period of silence, "...it can't hurt..."  
  
And he awkwardly embraced the former Admiral.  
  
The Silvite froze, his emerald eyes wide with shock. He had said what he had said without reserve or shame precisely because he had thought Vyse would never agree to it. He wasn't sure if he would want an embrace even if Vyse had been willing to give one, either... But now the captain of the Delphinus had him in his arms, and he was at a complete loss of what to do—so he did nothing, and simply let the taller man hold him.  
  
Vyse lingered for a few moments, before his misgivings got the better of him, and he let go of Ramirez. It wasn't right to tease his former friend like that, even if that wasn't his intention.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. He had promised himself he would save his former friend, but now...   
  
Perhaps that chance had been forever lost, much like their fragmented friendship, which now seemed it could never be repaired. Perhaps he'd been sarcastic—that made more sense; how could he be so stupid as to not realize it?, the rogue mentally cursed himself. He'd definitely overstepped his boundaries; now that he looked closely, it was obvious from the way the Silvite was standing there, his head bowed, his shoulders trembling almost unnoticeably.  
  
"I...guess I'll leave you to your dinner," the blue-clad rogue murmured, ashamed, and turned to leave.  
  
He walked two steps before he halted and looked back, barred from moving further now that Ramirez was tightly gripping his right hand.  
  
"...Ramirez?" he asked, his heart heavy with guilt.  
  
"Vyse...actually, I—" the silver-haired man, looking up to reveal his stricken expression, and hesitated. He tightened his hold on the Blue Rogue's hand before dropping both it and his gaze. "...No, never mind."  
  
The handsome ship captain gazed at him for a moment before saying, "I... I should go now, okay?" He then turned and walked to the door, and once he reached it, he paused, his hand resting upon the knob. /_I shouldn't just leave without saying anything else... I don't what to say, but I have to say _something_._/  
  
Vyse turned his head to look back at the former Admiral and added lamely, "I hope... I hope things start to go better." He then winced, embarrassed at his own poor choice of words, and opened the door. /_Better to leave before I make the situation even worse..._/  
  
Ramirez let him leave without saying a word, then slowly walked to his bed and sat, shivering slightly as he wrapped his arms around himself.  
  
/_I—couldn't say it..._/ he mentally murmured, his trembling green eyes focused on the floor. /_I couldn't say anything... Where has my strength gone? Why can't I at least be strong to take what he offers when I ask for it?_/  
  
Closing his eyes, he tilted his head back and hugged his shoulders even tighter.  
  
Outside the room, Vyse was leaning against the door, staring at his right hand. All his mixed feelings for the Silvite were churning up even worse inside of him, like a South Sea whirlwind... The brunet flexed that hand as if there were another hand in it and held it to his chest, warmth rising again to his cheeks.  
  
"Ramirez..." he murmured, unable to erase the image of the silver-haired man from his mind.  
  
  
  
"So, we're gonna set off tomorrow, then?" Aika asked.  
  
Vyse nodded to his childhood friend, his feet propped up on the table as usual. "There's no reason to put it off any longer, and we need to be decisive from now on, considering Galcian's our enemy," he replied. "Which brings me to the last topic of the day..."  
  
"What to do with Ramirez," Gilder finished, his position in his chair a mimic of Vyse's.  
  
The younger rouge nodded. "I was thinking," he said, knowing that Ramirez would not agree, "that it would be best for him if he were to remain on the Silver Shrine. That way, he'll have a place to stay and his piece of the Crystal will be safe."  
  
As he expected, his fellow swordsman's brows furrowed as his lips pursed, both actions slight, but he said nothing.  
  
"The Elders will look after him," Fina input in his place, her tone lifting hopefully. "It would be good for him."  
  
"Give him some time to reform, eh?" Aika commented, glancing distastefully at the Silvite in question. "Well, it keeps him far away from me, so I'm fine with that idea. Are you sure you want to stay that close to him, though, Fina?"  
  
"I..." She glanced over at Ramirez, then looked back at her friends. "I'll be all right. After all, I can still visit you. Maybe...maybe the Elders will even let me stay down here."  
  
Her old friend twitched slightly, but unlike last time, he said nothing to contradict her.  
  
"Keeping him up on the Silver Shrine is fine with me, too," Gilder added with an easygoing half-smile. "And with Ramirez out of the picture, Galcian will lose one of his best men. Heh, not like he hasn't already lost him, but this keeps him completely out of his reach. No taking the Crystal in his hand crap, either."  
  
Vyse nodded in assent. It was pointless to ask Ramirez what he thought; he had made that much clear already. But it wasn't as if the swordsman was giving him any other options—well, at least any options that the Blue Rogue found acceptable.  
  
"If that's that, then we'd better start getting ready for tomorrow," Gilder suggested, pulling his feet off the table onto the floor.  
  
"Yeah," the group's leader agreed, following his senior's lead, and stood. He then paused for a few seconds; it seemed heartless to not even give Ramirez a chance to speak. Considering they weren't even speaking directly to him, it seemed fairly pointless to have even brought him here to begin with... Resolving at least to not treat the Silvite as if he weren't listening, Vyse addressed the white-haired man, "Ramirez, I know you don't like this, but you really haven't given us any better choice. I'm sorry."  
  
The silver-haired man shrugged and offered a slight smile, which was not echoed in his eyes. "It can't be helped," he murmured, gazing down at the table once more.  
  
"...Let's go, then," the brunet said, and the others rose with him, crowding around Ramirez. He was as docile as he had been when they had herded him to the meeting room in the first place, and said nothing on the trip down to the main part of the isle. They were all quiet, and Vyse couldn't help but keep peeking worriedly at Ramirez, who kept his eyes on the ground. Fina, on the contrary, was gazing up at the Red Moon, which was currently located to the north. Perhaps it was her imagination, but she could swear there were some black dots over it...  
  
She turned her verdure eyes away as the group walked to the upstairs living quarters, and watched with a growing sense of unease as Vyse unlocked the door, and Ramirez obediently walked in. The blonde Silvite glanced up again at the Red Moon, and noted with some consternation that the dark spots had grown bigger.  
  
"Vyse..." the green-eyed young lady said quietly.  
  
"Hmm?" he said, looking over at her as he pushed the door shut. "What's wrong, Fina?"  
  
Pointing up to the approaching things, she queried, "What's that?"  
  
Looking up at where the white-clad girl was indicating, Vyse adjusted the magnification on his Skyseer Goggle. The close-up view told him that he was looking at a fleet of ships, and immediately on alert, he intensified the magnification further.  
  
The banner on the flapship leading the other warships was instantly recognizable as that of one of the ship that had just recently attacked Crescent Isle.  
  
"Oh, _sh_—" Vyse began to swear before readjusting the goggle and turning to his companions. "It's a good thing you spotted that, Fina," he said grimly. "Moons, we need a lookout!"  
  
"What, what is it?" Aika demanded, alarmed.  
  
"We're gonna have to get everyone to safety as soon as possible," he said, glancing back up at the distant ship formation. "A fleet from Valua's heading towards here."  
  
"Again? Hell!" Gilder frowned, peering at the ships. "I hate to say it, Vyse, and this probably isn't the best time, but if they've come to attack twice, you might want to ditch this base for a while and find a new place."  
  
The aforementioned Blue Rogue grimaced. "I know, I know. But that's not important right now! We'll talk after we're all out of here! C'mon!" and with those words, the young man broke into a run, followed by his friends.  
  
The Valuan warships approached the island swiftly, filling the air with the roar of their engines...and Ramirez, behind a forgotten and unlocked door, couldn't help but notice the sound.  
  
Inside his room, he stood staring at the door, as he had been since he had heard the panicked noises of Vyse and company just outside. Something was happening out there, and it was becoming more obvious that it was not something fortuitous by the second—the roar of those ship engines were likely of heralds of death from Valua, and probably no small fry, either. Had Lord Galcian sent someone else to attack Crescent Isle? Vigoro, perhaps. Gregorio was dead, and even if he weren't, he doubted the honorable Admiral would accept a job like this—Belleza and De Loco's cannons weren't as raucous as that, and Ramirez winced slightly as one shot exploded and probably just missed killing him—and Alfonso was an incompetent fool, so he wouldn't get sent on a mission to exterminate a threat to Lord Galcian's as great as Vyse had continued to prove himself. He doubted the primped idiot even still followed him, now that the Grand Admiral had revealed his true intentions.  
  
Regardless of who it was, Ramirez felt, for the first time in days, his pulse race—as if he were about to enter into battle. Yes...there _was_ going to be a battle, and soon. If he were out there...  
  
On impulse, he grabbed the doorknob and turned it, recalling that he hadn't heard the grind of a key in a lock. Vyse's slip was revealed as it yielded and the door opened, and Ramirez, who knew that this was his one chance to act freely, decisively stepped outside and to check the skies for the one charging.  
  
With a small sound of shock equivalent to a pair of exclamation points, the Silvite's malachite green eyes widened; it wasn't any of the Admirals. It was the Grand Admiral himself.  
  
Lord Galcian _himself_ was here to destroy Vyse.  
  
The Silvite swordsman had easily defeated Vyse by himself. Lord Galcian would surely kill the young rogue without a second thought.  
  
Unless...  
  
But there was no time to think over strategy. If he were to be able to do anything here, he would have to arm himself. The problem was that he had no idea of where Ilazki was. Glancing around him quickly, trying to think of where it might be held, the Silvite decisively headed for Vyse's room, as it was the closest, not to mention it was still intact. He threw open the door and marched in, scanning the room visually—  
  
There it was, leaning against the bed. Glad at least for the fact that he wouldn't have to search long, Ramirez quickly grabbed his sword and turned back for outside.  
  
The ex-Admiral hesitated, though. It was Lord Galcian, his former mentor, whom he would have to face... Could he really bare his blade against the man who had been, however unspoken the sentiment was, like a father to him for the past several years?  
  
Ramirez headed towards the window, and gazed out and upwards at the approaching fleet, which were still firing at the island and ripping apart the land; the rest of this building would probably be next soon. He _could_ just say that he had been taken captive again. He _could_ say that he had underestimated the Blue Rogue. The Silvite had reason enough to do so; now that he was sure there was nothing here for him, perhaps he could find a place near the Grand Admiral again. Also, if he stayed here, he would return to the one place he never wanted to see again most—provided, of course, that Vyse and the others survived this encounter. The commander-in-chief of the Valuan Armada would be highly displeased that he had gotten himself 'kidnapped' a second time, but if the rogues were all eradicated, at least the sentiment would be diminished by that much.  
  
On the other hand...  
  
The uncertain swordsman shook his head. He had thought his path had been chosen long ago, yet once again, he was at a crossroad. He loved Vyse. That was a fact. But Vyse would never love him back—he would only continue to tease him with whiffs of something he would never be able to taste. That was also a fact. The logical path seemed obvious in light of these facts. He would get over his emotions in time. Yet his heart still wavered.  
  
An explosion ripped him from his inner turmoil as cannonfire pelted the island one last time, then ceased. There was no more time to deliberate. Outside, soldiers were beginning to drop onto the isle, attacking and engaging the captain and crew. From here, he could see the leader of the Blue Rogues defending himself against the onslaught of a Valuan; even just watching Vyse try to defend himself, Ramirez's anxiety increased—he didn't want to see the pirate injured again. He wanted to protect him, even though the obtuse rogue would not appreciate it.  
  
Love or loyalty...  
  
Curling his fingers into a fist, Ramirez's jade eyes hardened. There was only one path he could take. If he could walk it without any regrets, that would be wonderful, but he had no leisure for that. He could not afford to think about regrets. Right now, he could only act.  
  
Sprinting out the door, the Silvite swordsman raced down the stairs and onto the battlefield, Ilazki shining in his right hand. Taking Vyse's head himself would more than redeem himself in Lord Galcian's eyes, if the Grand Admiral had gone to the trouble of coming here in the first place. Ramirez knew that well.  
  
He had already made his choice. Picking up speed, he made a beeline for Vyse, who was by now surrounded.  
  
As Ramirez had made up his mind, the teenage pirate who was the target of his thoughts had, in an attempt to buy time for his friends and crew, engaged the soldiers that had come onto the island. The brunet was trying not to think about what would happen if he were to engage Galcian in combat. However, if such a sacrifice would allow everyone else to escape unharmed...  
  
No, he didn't want to think about it. He hoped desperately that it wouldn't come down to that.  
  
In the corner of his eye, the captain of the Delphinus spotted something white; he glanced towards it, then widened his brown eyes in shock—it was Ramirez, his sword bared, running straight for him. He stepped back, but the former Admiral was too swift and the other Valuans clustered too closely for him to hope for escape.  
  
"Rami—" he began, before the silver blade flashed and cut light, air, flesh, and bone.  
  
A spray of blood flung itself into the sky, as if to fly on the scream being borne into the wind.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
**NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal Arcadia_ [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong.  
  
**Ramirez:** "Oh, yes, there's always that. I thank you all from the bottom of the gaping void in my soul."  
**Ianthe:** Thank you, Arngrim, for that lovely quote. [--from _Valkyrie Profile_]  
  
**Vyse:** /_It's kind of funny, me wanting to protect someone who's stronger than I am..._/  
**Ayu:** Yay for Eirote and influence from _Scrapped Princess_!  
  
**Ayu:** The lyric-title this time is taken from _Yozora shika Shiranai_ (_Knows Nothing But the Night Sky_), a song from _Wild ARMs 3_. Full lyrics can be found, as always, at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!_, the link to which you can (indirectly) find below.  
  
**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com**  
Contact Ianthe of d.I:** ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))  
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net)


	18. Chapter 18: Ai ha Tsuyoku Hito no Kokoro...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  
**Chapter 18:** Ai ha Tsuyoku Hito no Kokoro wo Ugokashite Yuku  
(_Love Strongly Influences a Person's Heart_)

  
  
  
  


As if the world were in slow motion, Vyse's widened brown eyes met Ramirez's narrowed green ones as the former Admiral leaned forward, then back, to withdraw his bloodied silver sword. There was a split-second where the two of them stared at each other, the Blue Rogue dumb with astonishment, before the Silvite looked away and, with two expert swings, dispatched the rest of the Valuan soldiers as neatly as he had done the first, their lives falling into the night that filled the air.  
  
"Ramirez!" Vyse gasped when the last man had fallen to the ground, the river of life flowing out of his body. "What are you doing here?!"  
  
"You forgot to lock the door," the silver-haired man replied unemotionally, stepping back swiftly to stand next to the brunet pirate. "I decided to seize the opportunity to do something useful for a change."  
  
Vyse stared, stunned, remembering very belatedly that the arrival of the Grand Admiral had pushed locking the door completely out of his mind... It was probably a good thing; although the others were around, fighting soldiers on different parts of the isle, if a shell had hit the living quarters... Rerouting his thought processes and stepping back uneasily to avoid the pooling liquid, the Blue Rogue then asked, "But—it's Galcian attacking. Can you fight him?"  
  
The Silvite swordsman hesitated, unsure of how to answer. Finally, he glanced at his companion and said softly, "I'll at least be able to hold out longer than you will."  
  
"I'm not sure I like that answer," the rogue commented, turning to bare his cutlasses to the next wave of Valuans.  
  
"You can't hope to stand against Lord Galcian and win," Ramirez said tightly, swiveling in the opposite direction. "You're nowhere near his level."  
  
"It's not that," the Air Pirate shouted as he moved to engage an assassin soldier. Their blades clanged together twice, and Vyse's left cutlass managed to slip past the soldier's defenses into his ribs. Pulling back, the rogue continued, "Are you really going to be able to cross blades with someone you care about that much?!"  
  
Having murdered another soldier already and just finishing off the second, Ramirez brought his blade up in a defensive position. Blood dripped off the surface of the weapon to the ground at his feet in large drops as he said, "I attacked you, didn't I?"  
  
It took until after Vyse had finished off his opponent for the implication of those words to sink in. Staring over at the silver-haired man, he questioned, "...Are you putting me on the same level as Galcian?"  
  
"Don't get the wrong idea," Ramirez replied brusquely. "I just..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"...I'm not as certain in my convictions as I used to be." He glanced over at Vyse through the dusk, his jaw set. "Thanks to you."  
  
The captain of the Delphinus gazed back at the Silvite, then looked down at and stepped away from the corpses of the soldiers near his feet. "I can see that."  
  
"I don't believe that you'll ever be able to beat Lord Galcian," Ramirez continued. "He has dedicated his entire life to power and the acquisition of it. There's no way a beginner like you could hope to defeat him."  
  
"Hey, we're about to fight him," Vyse said worriedly; they hadn't been attacked by any of Galcian's underlings again yet, and he wasn't looking forward to the prospect of them regrouping, then letting the Grand Admiral himself take care of them. "Could you not be so..."  
  
"That's why, though," the Silvite swordsman cut him off. "Lord Galcian will succeed, no matter how much you struggle against him. So the least I can do..." He lifted his head to gaze at Vyse, who gazed back at him. "...is make sure you can live a little longer."  
  
The Blue Rogue swallowed hard, then straightened and let his cutlasses hang by his sides. "I'm not going to die," he declared; then went on more softly, "And neither are you."  
  
Ramirez smiled ironically, his own sword gently scraping the earth with its tip. "Despite what you may believe to the contrary, you are not the one who decides my fate, Vyse."  
  
"And Galcian is?" the Air Pirate queried, frowning.  
  
"I dedicated my being to him long, long before I ever knew you existed," the Silvite sighed. "But that's no longer the issue. You should run and make sure all your crewmates are aboard the Delphinus. I'll hold him off to buy you time, to make sure you all can escape."  
  
"If you think I'll let you sacrifice yourself, you're wrong," Vyse stated firmly. "I'll fight him with you. If we work together, we stand a better chance of winning, right?"  
  
"Wrong," Ramirez said flatly. "If I have to worry about making sure you don't get hurt, I won't be able to fight properly. The point is not to win, anyway; that's impossible."  
  
"Someone once told me breaking out of the Grand Fortress was impossible," the Blue Rogue countered. "You know what I told him? 'Impossible is a word people use to feel better about themselves when they give up.' There has to be something—"  
  
"Vyse, _stop it!!_" the silver-haired man yelled, the first time he had raised his voice in weeks. Stunned into silence, the Air Pirate only listened as his companion rounded on him and, jade green eyes narrowed, shouted, "Do you think your fanciful ideals can apply to every situation?! There are some things that can't happen, no matter how much you struggle to make it so! Or are you telling me you can return my feelings?!"  
  
Vyse stepped backwards, looking and feeling as if the ex-Admiral had just struck him in the face. Never before had the youth realized how much simply being himself hurt the Silvite. It wasn't as if Ramirez didn't hurt him too, and it certainly wasn't as if Vyse didn't have a right to protect his own emotions, but...  
  
"I've already accepted that you're out of my reach," Ramirez continued coldly, turning away and raising Ilazki level to his chest. "The least you could do is not make it more difficult to bear."  
  
"...I..." the Air Pirate began awkwardly, his guts twisting with guilt.  
  
"You needn't feel you have to apologize," the Silvite commented sullenly. "Just get out of here. It's best you find a new base, too; Lord Galcian will wipe you out for certain if you return here."  
  
"I'm not leaving without you," Vyse insisted stubbornly, almost desperately. "So don't get yourself killed!"  
  
Ramirez looked up at him again then with a helpless smile. "And if I go with you, then what? I go back to the Great Silver Shrine? I told you once that I'd rather die than return to that place."  
  
"But—" the brown-eyed lad began before the ex-Admiral cut him off with a slow shake of his head.  
  
"There is no point in living on when you've lost everything and can't take it back," he said somberly. "All I have left is my strength." He smirked mirthlessly and muttered, as much to himself as to Vyse, "'Strength is the only thing you can depend on; power will not betray you.'" He sighed heavily and continued, "The only thing I can still do—the last wish I have—is use that power to protect you."  
  
Vyse was filled then with a sudden, wild urge to drop his weapons and take his fellow swordsman into his arms in a tight embrace. It passed as quickly as it had come, and instead, he whispered, "Ramirez..."  
  
"Go," the former Admiral ordered. "Rest assured I won't deliberately get myself killed—not while I still have to make sure you can live on." He then turned his gaze out to the billowing smoke, through which an indistinct form was advancing. "Let me do this for you...as some small, pathetic form of penitence."  
  
"Ramirez, I—"  
  
"_Go_!" the Silvite said sharply. "You're the captain, aren't you? You have the rest of your crew to worry about! Don't concern yourself with me any longer; I brought this on myself. But you still have things you should do."  
  
Still the Blue Rogue hesitated, but finally, reminded of his other duties, he nodded. "...Thank you," he murmured, at a loss of what else to say, and after a pause, sheathed his cutlasses and ran to rejoin his other friends.  
  
Ramirez watched him go until he disappeared behind a wave of smoke, a faint, wistful smile on his lips, his chest aching. The choices he had made—the Silvite still wasn't sure they were the right ones. He had his doubts as to whether they were even good ones. But he couldn't deny that he wanted, more than anything, more intensely than the flames devouring Crescent Isle, that he wanted to protect Vyse, even if it meant exchanging everything he had—from his place by Galcian's side to his own life—in order to do so.  
  
He glanced down at the wicked-looking blade in his hand. Ilazki... The Silvite sword had served him faithfully since childhood. In a way, he felt grateful to the weapon; it was the one part of him that had never changed. The Elders had given it to him very reluctantly, after he had snuck into its holding chamber around fourteen years ago and removed it without permission if only to get a closer look at the sword with which he had been so fascinated. He still didn't understand how he had escaped punishment back then, much less why they ultimately decided to let him keep the blade when he had previously been forbidden to anything more than look at it from a distance. Ramirez hadn't even understood its power at that time, when he had only been reluctantly practicing with the sword for a few months, but Ilazki had been a loyal partner since then, rarely ever leaving his possession for long and never with his permission.  
  
He had always used the silver sword's power to guard himself or fulfill his duties, one way or another...but now, he wanted to use it to defend someone else's life. Though he knew it was foolish, Ramirez still smiled sadly and whispered to his weapon, "Please let me protect Vyse."  
  
The crack of burning wood snapping brought the Silvite's attention back to his front, where the Grand Admiral had just emerged. His forehead was creased to match his deep frown, and his enormous triangular sword was in hand, which was made more obvious by the lack of his heavy, black cloak. The two gazed at each other for a long moment, separated only by several yards, virtually ignoring the movements and noises of the people scurrying around them, the crackling of the flames, the collapse of structures.  
  
It was Galcian who finally spoke first. "I had a hunch I would find you here," he stated gravely. "But I never thought you would side with the Air Pirates."  
  
Ramirez glanced away, ashamed. "...I'm sorry."  
  
"You know you cannot defeat me," he reminded him.  
  
"I know," the silver-haired young man agreed.  
  
Without expecting Ramirez to acquiesce, Galcian queried, "Will you stand aside?"  
  
The Silvite shook his head slowly. "I can't. I'm sorry."  
  
"What did the Air Pirate promise you?" the Grand Admiral demanded, his icy blue eyes narrowing.  
  
The young swordsman grimaced at the implication of a bribe, and more indirectly, that he would be swayed by something like that. "Nothing."  
  
"Then why?"  
  
The former Admiral hesitated; there was nothing he could say that would make sense, so he chose the simplest form of the truth. "...I have to protect him."  
  
Galcian's brows furrowed. "You _have_ to?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"So then you have betrayed me for a boy who has not even extended a hand to you?" he scowled.  
  
Ramirez flinched and bowed his head; how could he explain the reasons why? The truth sounded so pathetic in his mind, and he didn't want to do his mentor the disservice of lying to him about it. "I'm...sorry."  
  
The older swordsman sighed deeply. "Of all people, I would not have expected _you_ to turn against me. What happened between now and when we last spoke?"  
  
"Far too much," the Silvite replied in all honesty.  
  
"Even taking into account the time you spent aboard the Delphinus... A mere three months with that Air Pirate is enough to erase seven years of service to me, then?"  
  
"I'm sorry," Ramirez repeated, stricken. "I still believe in you, Lord Galcian. But I'm no longer sure of the path...and I can't let you kill Vyse, any more than I could kill him myself."  
  
The dark-haired man regarded his former inferior. "Is this the _real_ reason why you took him prisoner over two weeks ago?"  
  
Ramirez miserably nodded once.  
  
Galcian shook his head in resignation as he raised his sword. "This pains me, Ramirez," he said, "but you leave me little choice."  
  
"I know," the Silvite replied faintly, bringing the oddly bright Ilazki to bear. "I understand."  
  
"At least your crystal will serve me well."  
  
Ramirez flinched, but nodded again. "I've become dirty, and thus am no longer worthy of following you. At least I can be of some help otherwise..." he agreed despondently.  
  
Student and teacher stood silently for a moment, sizing each other up. It was enough time to fill Ramirez with an icy fear before Galcian broke stance to charge, barely a plume of dust rising in his wake.  
  
The Silvite rose his defenses swiftly, supporting it by holding the flat of Ilazki up with his free hand, but the power of his superior's attack was so immense that his heels ground into the earth behind him as he nearly buckled to keep his sword, the only thing keeping the Grand Admiral from neatly cleaving him in two, in place. Ramirez's fear promptly doubled—was there any way he could possibly hold Galcian off long enough for Vyse and the others to escape? But determination fueled him, and gritting his teeth, he shakily poured his weight into pushing back against the taller man's trembling blade.  A rock loosened under his boot and nearly sent him off balance, but he recovered in time for it to not make a difference as he struggled to gain the upper hand. Galcian's arm strength proved greater, though, and in a round arc accompanied by a magnificent spray of white sparks, he forced Ilazki to the side, leaving Ramirez open.  
  
Ramirez didn't allow the opportunity to exist for long; as the Grand Admiral had his blade raised, he ducked down and rolled in the same direction Galcian had tried to throw his sword, using the momentum to his advantage. Swiftly getting to his feet, he sprung forward to attack, but Galcian, who had predicted the move, caught the blow on the groove of his sword, stepping backwards to absorb the force, then raising his sword to slash at his former pupil.  
  
The bare tip of the sword scored a hit, creating a gash through Ramirez's uniform and leaving a streak of scarlet in its wake. The Silvite fell back, wincing at the pain but keeping both hands on Ilazki. /_I can't afford to lose now,_/ he told himself fiercely, and as Galcian was left slightly off-balance from his attack, he used his greater speed and maneuverability to slip under the enormous and bulky sword. His blade screeched metal-on-metal as it ran against the edge of Galcian's own, taking advantage of the lack of a cross-handle to break through and strike.  
  
Ilazki drank blood, but there was no time to rejoice, for the Grand Admiral brought his sword down with the force of a falling block of cement and knocked Ramirez to the side over five feet away, almost on top of a pile of burning debris.  He instead fell onto a scorched door-sized board, which noisily cracked in two upon impact, with a cry of pain. He forced himself to his feet almost as soon as he crashed through the burnt board, shaking with adrenaline. Stepping away from the fire and readying Ilazki again, he glared at his former mentor long enough to see him trace a couple of fingers across his wound and brood over the wetness that clung to them.  
  
"You're really serious about this," Galcian commented then, turning his attention from the shallow gash on his side to the shorter swordsman, who had just blinked away a bead of sweat that threatened to blunder into his left eye.  
  
/_If I fall too soon, Vyse will die; I can't let that happen!_/ Ramirez told himself, and without answering or letting himself hesitate, he launched himself forward with a fierce battle cry. His blade clanged against the Grand Admiral's, and a chorus of metal against metal sang out four times before the two master swordsmen violently shoved each other apart, halting a small distance apart, standing ready to attack again, their weapons pointed threateningly at the other.  
  
"Your swordsmanship is as superb as always, Ramirez," Galcian noted, as if they were simply having a practice match.  
  
"Thank you, Lord Galcian," the Silvite murmured, his eyes flicking guiltily to the wound he'd inflicted on the other man.  
  
"Tell me, why are you wasting your skill fighting in the defense of an Air Pirate?" he queried evenly.  
  
"He's not just an Air Pirate," Ramirez stated promptly. "And if I don't bar your way, you'll kill him."  
  
The Grand Admiral frowned. "This matters to you why?"  
  
The shorter swordsman lowered his gaze slightly. "As I said...Vyse is not just an Air Pirate."  
  
Galcian breathed a short sigh. "What do you hope to gain from this, Ramirez?"  
  
"I just want Vyse to live," he replied softly. "That's all."  
  
"Is that your only answer? Have you no better explanation?"  
  
"I'm sorry. I know I'm being foolish." The Silvite lifted his eyes to gaze evenly at his former mentor. "I will fight my hardest to keep you from advancing, though I know I can't hope to beat you. Indeed, I have no desire to defeat you. Betraying you is a heavy sin...one for which I can only atone by dying honorably by your blade."  
  
The taller swordsman regarded Ramirez with an odd, unreadable expression before he sighed again, this time with a more resigned air. "Such a fool."  
  
Without warning, the older swordsman heaved his weapon forward to resume his assault. Ramirez jumped to the side, twisting his body to move with the attack, but Galcian, anticipating his move, changed course of his charge slightly and left a long, brutal gash on his former pupil's left leg. Several droplets of crimson blood trailed after the blade as it departed the neatly sliced flesh. Fortunately, Ramirez was just quick enough to avoid the blow being much worse, as in potentially amputating the limb, and as the Silvite grimaced in reaction, trying not to land on his now bad leg, Galcian followed him with a swing of his unwieldy sword. It clanged resoundingly against Ilazki, which Ramirez was quick enough to manage to raise in defense, but with a screech of metal, the Grand Admiral hauled his blade in a horizontal arc, forcing the former Admiral to the ground again.  
  
The silver-haired man landed on his back roughly with a grunt, clinging to his sword as his only defense and offense, and, gritting his teeth together and keeping an eye on Galcian, began to mutter a healing spell.  
  
"A futile effort," the still standing man declared coldly as he prepared his next move. The winds picked up, and Ramirez's eyes widened in terrified realization as the Grand Admiral leapt high into the sky, his enormous triangular sword moving into position.  
  
Terminal... So named because few managed to survive the devastation it wreaked. Praying for the Sacrum to take effect on his leg as quickly as possible, the wielder of Ilazki staggered unsteadily to his feet.  
  
As he did so, he raised his eyes in abject fear at the swiftly approaching sight of his death, his thoughts coursing just as rapidly. /_I mustn't die now. For Vyse's sake—I have to live long enough to protect Vyse! There's no way I can dodge it in time with this leg—but I have to protect Vyse!! _I have to!!/  
  
As Galcian came hurtling down with a roar of "TERMINAL!!", Ilazki, which had already been oddly bright, illuminated sharply, a streak of light running up the blade as if suddenly catching the blocked moonlight and converting it into silver. The Grand Admiral's eyes caught his protégé's for a split-second...  
  
And his sword smashed into the ground where Ramirez had been seconds before, splitting the earth with an explosion of dirt and rock, which the Silvite blocked with lightning-quick flashes of his shining weapon even as he soared in a backwards arc through the air, his speed his savior.  
  
Galcian smirked as he looked up at Ramirez, landing gracefully in spite of his only partially healed leg, duly impressed in spite of himself as the young swordsman's ability—as would be expected from anyone _he_ thought worthy of teaching anything—but the smirk melted away when the white-haired man raised his chin and gazed at him with—the oddest—_expression_.  
  
There was no anger, no hatred, no regret, no guilt...no pain, no reluctance, no torment. There was only calm and acceptance, but with a fierce edge, as if a raptor were meeting the challenge of another bird of prey with a single unruffled, piercing glance.  
  
The Grand Admiral paused, slightly confused; just seconds earlier, Ramirez had been holding back his true potential and fighting, in spite of the blood he had drawn, a mainly defensive battle. This, though..._this_ was the look of a man who intended to fight with the greatest of his strength, with every intention of emerging victorious. The bearded man straightened his back and, heaving mightily, liberated his weapon from the earth. Ramirez continued to gaze at him evenly, and Galcian realized that there was something else that troubled him; his former underling was gazing at him not merely to defy him, but to assess him. The Silvite was looking at him as if he didn't know him—as if he were opposing a complete stranger.  
  
Frowning deeply, the Grand Admiral lifted his blade, drawing it backwards and tilting the edge away from him in a stance taught to him in his youth. It was a powerful stance, one he did not feel the need to use often, but his instinct commanded that he employ it now.  
  
To his shock, Ramirez matched the stance perfectly, mirroring it with such ease and poise that it was well nigh impossible for him to simply have emulated it from sight alone. It was then that Galcian finally noticed the strange glitter off of the infamous Sword of the Dark Moon...  
  
/_Could it be the sword's doing?_/ he wondered, brows furrowing. /_No, I mustn't jump to conclusions; if Ilazki has truly awoken, my plans may be jeopardized. I must test Ramirez further to confirm it._/  
  
Leaping forward, he moved from the stance to the appropriate attack, a move that was relatively simplistic in movement but very powerful and unblockable if one didn't know the proper counter—a counter taught in only one place in the world, and one Galcian had never passed on to anyone.  
  
In a fluid motion so quick it was like trying to watch the movement of light, the Silvite danced into action, and in a flurry of movement, the two switched positions, their swords clashing against each other in a song of battle. The Grand Admiral stepped onwards, still caught in his momentum, then turned swiftly, now fully alarmed.  
  
There was no mistake. There was no way Ramirez could know that technique under normal circumstances.  
  
The slowly bleeding young man was facing him, still ineffably calm, the silver weapon glimmering in front of him, and Galcian didn't know how to react to the Silvite who was now an entirely different person. The last move had been a test, and both men knew it; it seemed now as if Ramirez were waiting for a _real_ attack.  
  
Galcian smirked slowly. Though he had never viewed anyone as his equal, he had, after several years, come to view the Silvite with a sort of reluctant paternal affection. He was loyal, brilliant, attentive, quick to learn, and similar to him in many regards... It had never been expressed between the two of them—just something implicitly understood. Given a choice, Galcian would definitely have preferred that things had not gone down this road, that whatever had happened between Ramirez and the Air Pirate had never occurred. But this feeling—this creeping sensation, this surge of adrenaline...  
  
"I'm expecting a lot from you," the Grand Admiral suddenly declared to his opponent. "Do not disappoint me."  
  
A corner of Ramirez's mouth quirked upwards, and he nodded once.  
  
Several seconds passed in silence as they regarded each other before both exploded into action.  
  
The real battle had just begun.  
  
  
  
As the two military men raged outside, everyone was struggling to bring what they could of their possessions, wares and goods along. It was a nearly chaotic scene, and it took Vyse and Aika both commandeering the scenes with support from Fina and Gilder to keep everything under control. It was easy to hear the sounds of battle just outside, and everyone was at edge; it was only a one-on-one battle _now_, but there was an entire fleet backing up the enemy, and even those who hadn't heard of Galcian were quickly informed that they didn't want to have to fight him—he who had played a large role in the Valuan occupation of Ixa'taka over seven years ago.  
  
When the crew had managed to salvage what they could, the captain of the Delphinus got everyone assembled in the hangar. There, Vyse ran a role call with Aika, while Fina and Gilder got the enormous vessel prepared, to make sure all of the crew members were present and accounted for before they set sail.  
  
While he made sure his companions, new and old, were all safe, he couldn't help but worry about Ramirez, who was risking his life by opposing his former master less than a hundred yards away. The Silvite had insisted that he would be best off fighting Galcian on his own, but Vyse couldn't help but be reminded of that time on the Monoceros, when Ramirez had told him to hurry onto a lifeboat and make his getaway. Was there any way that the swordsman, however skilled he was, would deliberately try to defeat the Grand Admiral? Was he strong enough to even be able to do it? Or would he simply wait until everyone was gone, then let himself get killed?  
  
The last one, the teenage pirate hated to admit, was the thing Ramirez was most likely to do. The problem with that was that the Blue Rogue had no intentions whatsoever of leaving without the silver-haired man. Whether it was for mere friendship or for poorly hidden love, he couldn't say, but the brunet did not want to abandon him.  
  
"Vyse, it looks like everyone's here," Aika reported to him before long. "We'd better start getting everyone aboard the Delphinus now." She glanced away, pursing her lips. "I really can't stand it, but we're going to have to clear out of Crescent Isle for a while... Maybe even for good. Once we're in the air and in high sky where Valua's ships can't reach us, we're going to have to figure out where to set up a new base..."  
  
"I know," the brunet sighed in reply.  
  
"This never would have happened if Ramirez hadn't sold us out in the first place!" she added fiercely, her brown eyes flashing furiously at the mere thought of the ex-Admiral.  
  
"Aika, forget about that!" Vyse told her, not wanting nurture her hatred for the Silvite man any further. "Besides, he's out there, fighting Galcian for us!"  
  
"I don't understand that man," the redhead scowled. "And even if he _is_ fighting for us, I definitely don't trust him."  
  
"I don't blame you for not trusting him, but he's still out there, pitting himself against Galcian," the taller rogue argued. "So I at least want you to show him some civility, okay?"  
  
She frowned at him, but nodded grudgingly; what Vyse said _was_ true. It didn't stop her from disliking the Silvite swordsman, though. /_Cradle-robber. He's eight years older than Vyse..._/she thought darkly of the pale man, conveniently forgetting that she had been perfectly willing to try to set Fina up with him in spite of the age difference between them being the same.  
  
"Everybody!" Vyse called to his crew, cutting the brown-eyed girl from her thoughts. "It's time to board the Delphinus; we've got no choice but to abandon Crescent Isle. Aika will lead you aboard, and Fina will care take of anyone with any injuries. Everyone involved in launching, head with Gilder over to the bridge while I go take care of some final business outside, all right?"  
  
The crew, many of them understanding what Vyse meant by 'final business', murmured or nodded their assent.  
  
"Vyse, it's too dangerous to go outside on your own," Gilder commented when Vyse looked to his main companions for their input.  
  
Fina nodded, bringing a hand to her chest, and Aika, placing her hands on her hips, added, "Yeah! Gilder's right. We can't make you not try to bring Ramirez back, but we _can_ at least go with you and watch your back."  
  
He shook his head, looking at all three of them in turn. "You've all got to stay here and keep everyone organized," he told her firmly. "But I'll tell you what. Aika, when everyone's aboard, stay here and keep an eye out for me and Ramirez, all right? I might need your help."  
  
The yellow-clad girl scowled slightly, not liking the thought of having to aid the man who brought about the destruction of their home, but she wasn't ungrateful, so she nodded.  
  
"I'll go with your judgment, Vyse, so good luck, kid!" Gilder said, quickly heading inside with Fina, glancing back at her friend and captain, at his heels.  
  
Vyse gave them both the thumbs-up and a confident smile as he set off for outside, trying not to think about what sight might be awaiting him.  
  
  
  
It was as if he were watching a dream.  
  
Detached from all sense of reality, Ramirez watched his limbs perform amazing footwork, splendid thrusts and magnificent counters. He had never thought he could perform so flawlessly and so seriously against Lord Galcian, but here it was, playing out before him as if he were watching a play from the first-person point of view.  
  
It was, on one level, quite disturbing to see himself doing these things and not being consciously aware of manipulating his own appendages. It was rather like as if someone else had taken over his body and he were simply watching from behind.  
  
On the other hand, because of that, none of it seemed quite real, and the Silvite had to seriously question whether or not he was actually awake. Perhaps the recent events where all simply dreamy visions; he had _thought_ that the pain had been real, but now nothing was no more real than a mirage.  
  
He wasn't touching Lord Galcian, he noted, but at the same time, Lord Galcian couldn't touch him either. The taller man had better offense and defense, but he had greater speed and agility. It was a dance of deadly proportions, where any slip-up could result in grave injuries, if not, as far as he was concerned, death.  
  
His former mentor seemed to be quite enjoying it, too, Ramirez observed. He couldn't recall ever seeing him having so much fun simply conversing in steel with another person. Then again, no one could match him, so perhaps being able to actually put effort into his swordplay was his idea of fun.  
  
The two of them struck at each other, simultaneously blocked with their weapons, then backed away, each of them regarding each other, chests heaving.  
  
"Heh," Galcian smirked. "It's amazing how powerful you are when you're serious..."  
  
Ramirez didn't answer, but he heard his voice reply anyway: "Someone who has something to protect is always stronger."  
  
/_I didn't say that,_/ the silver-haired man thought in astonishment; he didn't even agree with the sentiment. /_...I suppose this _must_ be a dream._/  
  
The Grand Admiral was laughing at him. "I must admit it's quite strange to hear your voice saying such things."  
  
/_I would not expect to hear myself saying them, either,_/ Ramirez thought, but his body exchanged no more words.  
  
"I wonder what you're truly capable of..." the older man continued, eyeing him with keen interest. "A shame I will never find out."  
  
Why precisely Galcian thought he would never find out, neither Ramirez nor his body asked; his figure simply relaxed and straightened, then covered his face with his left hand and shut his eyes.  
  
"Where there is light..."  
  
Reality, shaky as it were, burned away like an oil painting showered with technicolor sparks, leaving little more than black in its wake, and as his body dragged his hand down his face, his eyes open, his tone—calm, quietly confident...not at all terse, like how he usually spoke the line. "...there is darkness."  
  
The Silvite briefly saw his former mentor's alarmed face before he stepped into a shimmering, vertical pool of shadows. His voice spoke again as his body swung Ilazki again and again, cutting through the darkness with sheets of glittering silver, but the words were different:  
  
"The darkness calls out to the light, and the light calls again to the darkness. All cannot be realized without knowing both darkness and light."  
  
_Shink_, _shink_, _shink_, _shink_... The horrendous sound echoed through the void many more times than the six he usually heard when he performed this move, silver filling the black. "Sword of the Dark Moon!" his body called, then brought Ilazki back in the final pose, and, with a decisive strike and one last _shink_, shattered the light.  
  
The shimmering window opened again, this time to the real world, and his figure stepped through, leaving behind the as of yet unrealized destruction it had wrought. One last swing of the wicked blade, though—  
  
It was as bright as the Silver Moon itself, the explosion of light that coalesced on Lord Galcian's form and tore through his flesh multifold. Knowing well that escape from the Silver Eclipse was impossible, the Grand Admiral had guarded to minimize the damage done, but blood still sprayed into the heavens.  
  
Ramirez didn't know who was more shocked—himself or Lord Galcian. The mighty man staggered to one knee, panting and grimacing in fear and anger as he glared up at his former pupil.  
  
/_This is entirely too surreal,_/ he thought with rising panic as his right arm moved fluidly to point Ilazki at the Grand Admiral's neck. /_And I'm not completely sure this is a dream anymore... Why can't I control my body?! I don't want to defeat him!!_/  
  
"...You're better than I expected," the bearded man growled, crimson dripping down his face. "I had always thought the legends blown out of proportion...but now I see I underestimated them—and you..."  
  
/_What legends? WHAT LEGENDS?_/ the Silvite screamed in his mind, this cryptic statement forcing his thoughts further into raging chaos. /_Lord Galcian, what are you talking about?!_/  
  
A desiccated breeze coursed between them, blowing threads of Ramirez's hair in his field of vision. He did not hear the rapid footsteps of someone running up from the entrance to the docks over the roar of the fire...  
  
But he did hear Vyse's voice at top volume, shouting, "_Ramirez_!!"  
  
The essence of Ramirez turned to the sound...and, as if the strings of the puppeteer were snapping from the marionette, whatever had been manipulating his body lost control. Ramirez—not his body, _he_—turned to stare over his shoulder at the Blue Rogue.  
  
There was a break in the smoke, and their eyes met, the Silvite staring dumbly at the youth he had told to escape, the Air Pirate gazing in wonder at the man who seemed to have the Grand Admiral at sword point. However, Galcian was not the Commander of the Valuan Armada for being a fool. Those who let their eyes leave their opponent were inviting Death...and he was more than willing to channel it.  
  
The tall man forced himself to his feet, arcing his sword upwards simultaneously to clash against the silver blade pointed at his throat. Ramirez, distracted at he were, lost his grip easily, and Ilazki flew out of his hand. The Silvite turned back to him, malachite green eyes wide with alarm, and as Vyse looked on in horror, Galcian swung his sword up and slashed diagonally from right to left across his former subordinate's chest, slicing open the silver-haired man's biceps and ribs and sending him careening backwards from the force of the blow.  
  
"NOOOOOO!! RAMIREZ!!" the brown-eyed rogue screamed, his mind and legs frozen. This couldn't be—it was just a nightmare—he didn't just—  
  
Ramirez thudded to the ground, blood gushing from his chest, and stared wide-eyed at the man he had admired for so many years. What had happened? It had all felt like a dream—but this agony was no dream. Vyse was here, Lord Galcian was here, the smoke and fire—  
  
Vyse. The idiot! He had returned!  
  
/_I have to protect him,_/ he thought desperately, letting his head drop to his left, where Ilazki had fallen. He couldn't move his right arm, but his left—he could still fight—he reached out for the silvery blade, his hand throbbing—  
  
/_I can't afford to die here. I can't! I have to—Vyse—no, please, please, no—_/  
  
—only to have his fingers brush impotently against the spiral-decorated hilt, pushing it further away. As the darkness nipped at his consciousness, his hand becoming limp as he acknowledged the futility of his action, he could only think, /_I... failed..._/ He wasn't sure he could crawl towards it, battered as he was; the growing fuzziness of his thoughts was preventing him from conceiving any strategy. There were no strategies available to him at this late moment, anyway; he could barely move. How could he protect anyone?  
  
And the darkness known as despair permeated his being.  
  
Galcian, while cracking a Sacrulen crystal and letting its healing magic course through his body, silently watched the Silvite struggle, trying even as he was on the verge of death to fight. How the young man continued to try to oppose him, even when it was hopeless... The Air Pirate's irrationality had indeed infected him.  
  
He should finish him off, he knew. Just one clean swipe, and the Silver Crystal in Ramirez's hand would be his, and the world would have no choice but to bow before him... The Grand Admiral lowered the tip of his blade to his former protégé's limp hand.  
  
"NO!! Get AWAY from him!!" the voice of the impertinent pirate rang out, as its owner bounded forward, unsheathing his weapons as he ran. Galcian frowned as he regarded Vyse, who glared at him in utter hatred, then gazed back down at Ramirez.  
  
Ramirez had given up his life to protect this foolish whelp...  
  
He didn't remove his sword, but he didn't make the final cut, either. He couldn't help but smirk over the idiocy of his own feelings...but it wasn't as if this was the only Silver Crystal in the world. Perhaps, in light of the young man's until recently unwavering service, he could spare him the mutilation of his body. He wouldn't last much longer with those wounds, anyway.  
  
"You bastard! Don't you dare touch Ramirez!!" Vyse was yelling, but Galcian continued to ignore him. The bearded man simply shook his head slowly as he drew away his sword.  
  
"In light of your many years of faithful service," he told the dying Silvite, "I will grant your last request...Ramirez."  
  
But Ramirez had already shut his eyes.  
  
"What are you talking about?!" Vyse demanded, still baring his cutlasses.  
  
"Seven years," the Grand Admiral declared, and the Blue Rogue hesitated in slight confusion. "It was seven years ago when Ramirez and I met. Never once since the moment he joined my side did he ever turn against me. He may have doubted me slightly in the beginning, he may have strayed a short distance away, but never once did he point his sword at me with treachery in mind. Yet he knew you for a short time, and all of a sudden he declares he _must_ protect you..."  
  
Unsure of how to respond, Vyse shifted nervously, not knowing what to do or say. Galcian didn't care, however, and continued, more frigidly than before, "I have no respect for rats. However, I _do_ have respect for Ramirez, and in memory of it and him, I will spare your lives alone, as he wished. In return, you will never again oppose me; you have done well to come this far, but in the end, you are simply too weak. If you attempt another insurrection, I will _not_ hesitate to crush you."  
  
The Blue Rogue tightened his hands around the hilts of his cutlasses as the Grand Admiral added, "I do not know what you told Ramirez in order to seduce him to your side," and Vyse flinched at his choice of words, "but _that_ is the reason he lies covered in his own blood; do not attempt to pass the blame onto me. _You_ infected Ramirez with your petty ideals, and because of that, he sees the Grim Reaper before him. I had not wished to kill him, but... He had chosen his own path. He chose to betray me for you."  
  
Feeling lower than Deep Sky, Vyse bowed his head in anger and shame, but Galcian had not finished having his say just yet. "I will not say it again," he declared evenly, glacially. "You have a generous ten minutes to escape; if you remain, you will die. And, since Ramirez chose to die for you Air Pirates...he can stay with you."  
  
/_You are henceforth marked,_/ Galcian did not say; there wasn't any point in revealing all of his intents. /_I will have ships posted to follow the Delphinus at all times, and woe be to you if you continue in your fallacy as you've done thus far..._/  
  
The young rogue gritted his teeth together as the Grand Admiral turned his back to him and began to walk away. As much as he wanted to strike down the man, his Silvite friend came first, and sheathing his blades, he knelt down beside the former Admiral. He retched as soon as he laid eyes upon him; Galcian's sword had cut deeply into silver-haired man's chest, and he could see through the gore that it had nearly sliced through his rib cage.  
  
"Ramirez, Moons..." he whispered, taking him into his arms. "Please, please don't be dead..."  
  
As if in response to his words, the man in his arms stirred slightly and opened his eyes. "Vy..se..?" he murmured.  
  
"Ramirez!" Vyse cried, relief flooding him. He was still alive! But he wouldn't stay that way for long. He needed medical attention right away... Here wasn't good for that. He needed to get him aboard the Delphinus. /_Thank the Moons for that ten-minute chance..._/ he mentally breathed. "Just hang in there, okay?! We're going to get out of here!"  
  
Ramirez laughed softly, wincing at the pain, and shook his head wordlessly.  
  
"Don't say anything, okay?" Vyse whispered, slipping an arm under his legs and carefully lifting him. "You're going to be all right."  
  
Ramirez shook his head again, a faint smile on his lips, and said quietly, "No... don't bother. It's too late."  
  
"No, it's _not_ too late," the bloodied rogue told him angrily, glancing over his shoulder at the night skies obscured by smoke and flame and still managing to see Galcian's fleet. Completely forgetting about the silver blade behind him, he began to jog with effort toward the interior of his base, saying, "So don't you _dare_ die on me!!"  
  
Glancing down at Vyse, the mortally wounded Silvite noted that his wounds had begun to stain the young rogue's jacket. "...Sorry," he whispered with some effort; "...I seem to have...gotten blood on your shirt again..."  
  
Mentally thrown for several seconds, the Blue Rogue finally realized what he was talking about, and yelled with more than a tinge of desperation, "How can you think that's important at a time like this?! My clothes can be replaced. Your life can't!"  
  
Slightly shaking his head, Ramirez replied, "Vyse... I was only waiting to die. You can't preserve my life anymore..."  
  
"NO! Don't say that!" the Blue Rogue shouted as he picked up his speed, fear and denial surging in him as he hurried to the blue-bordered ship. "Please!! I don't want you to die!!"  
  
Ramirez did not reply. He couldn't help but feel guilty about the anguish he was causing his love. His only consolation was that Vyse would surely get over it soon enough. After all, he had so much more to live for...  
  
"It'll be okay," the brunet pirate continued, as much to himself as to the man in his arms. He couldn't go quickly—Ramirez wasn't heavy, but he wasn't light, either—but considering how much he was bleeding, too much jostling probably wouldn't be any good for the Silvite. "We'll get aboard the Delphinus, and you'll get the treatment you need, and you'll be healed, and it'll all be okay..."  
  
The former admiral remained silent. Breathing was becoming much more difficult, and his mind was beginning to cloud once more.  
  
"Just stay conscious, okay, Rami? Just...I don't care what you do, but please, hang in there, please!" Vyse begged, climbing the last steps of the metal staircase to the hangar, jogging as quickly as he could. /_Just a little bit further,_/ he told himself; /_just a little bit further and Ramirez will be all right!_/  
  
Ahead of him, Aika was waiting, and catching sight of him, she called, her brown eyes wide with alarm, "Vyse!" She joined him when he passed by, and as the two of them made their way onto the vast Valuan ship, she questioned, "What's going on?! Why are you bringing him here?! What happened with Galcian?!"  
  
"Long story! I'll explain soon—we just need to heal Ramirez, fast!" he called back, running past opened doors and clear corridors until he reached the medical wing of the Delphinus, picked the closest hospital bed, and, as gently as possible, deposited the Silvite's body on top of it  
  
"Vyse, what are you doing?!" the redheaded Blue Rogue had demanded as they ran. "I know you don't want to let him die, but look at his wounds! He's not going to last, no matter what you do!" Cursing silently at her friend's stubbornness, she fell silent until they reached the medical ward, then, as her captain set the former Admiral down, continued, "If you don't want anyone else to die, we have to set sail right—"  
  
"You're wrong!!" Vyse snapped, turning to her. "Ramirez isn't going to die! I'll never let it happen!!"  
  
Wide-eyed, Aika took a step back, taken aback by her friend's ferocity. Composing herself, she quietly asked, "What are you going to do, then?"  
  
"Get Fina and Ilchymis here; they're the best at healing," he stated, turning around. "I'll start, but for wounds these bad, we'll need the best we've got. Meanwhile, you and everyone else get the Delphinus in the air so we can make good our escape." Stretching his hands over Ramirez's body, the young captain continued as a green light glowed around his fingers, "Galcian, for whatever reason, is letting us escape. He's giving us ten minutes to haul ass."  
  
"Vyse, are you insane? It could be a trick or a trap!" Aika pointed out.  
  
The blue-clad youth shook his head even as he concentrated on the Sacres spell he'd begun. "I don't think so," he breathed, eyes narrowed. "It would have been easier for him to order his troops onto Crescent Island and route us himself than bother with a trap."  
  
The Air Pirate girl hesitated, then nodded. "I'll send Fina and Ilchymis back, and get this ship afloat with Gilder and the others," she agreed.  
  
The young rogue smiled slowly and nodded. "Thanks, Aika," he said quietly.  
  
She halfheartedly smiled and nodded back, then took off.  
  
"...Idiot..."  
  
"Huh?" Vyse, startled by the sudden noise, looked down at Ramirez, who was gazing up at him with the most pitiable expression the young pirate had ever seen. "Ramirez," he began, exasperated.  
  
Before the brunet could once again tell the dying Silvite not to speak, though, Ramirez cut him off. "You are...a fool..." He blinked once, slowly, and continued, "But not...nearly...as great an idiot...as me..." With a shallow sigh, Ramirez glanced away, the light in his jade eyes fading. "I told you...I'm a waste...of your time..."  
  
"No!" Vyse cried out desperately, finishing his Sacres spell. He glanced down at Ramirez's body and cursed silently when he saw how little it was helping; the blood had slowed, but not stopped. "You're not! So just hang on a little longer! Please!!"  
  
"Vyse..." the Silvite whispered, his gaze indistinct. "I know you...must hate hearing...these words, but...I love you. I'm just...happy...to be able...to die...in your arms."  
  
Tears began to fall from Vyse's eyes, and without even trying to blink them away, he screamed, "NO! Don't say things like that!!"  
  
The Silvite swordsman blinked slowly as the drops of wetness splashed onto his face, and with a sweet smile, he raised a trembling hand up to touch the rogue's face. Vyse grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly, and feeling that, Ramirez visibly relaxed. The Air Pirate wasn't nearly so calm, however; his companion's fingers were like ice, even through his glove, and that look on his face was eerily similar to when he'd been pinned to the death tree in his dream...  
  
"Vyse..." he breathed, his eyelids flutteringly shut. "You don't know...how much it means to me...knowing that you...can be bothered...to shed tears...for someone...as dirty...as me......"  
  
Shaking his head violently, the young swordsman cried, "Don't... please... don't talk like that!!" It was then that Vyse noticed that the hand he held so tightly had gone limp, and a sense of dread overcame him as he asked, praying to all the Moons that the ex-Admiral would reply, "...Ramirez? Hey, Ramirez... please! Say something!! Ramirez!"   
  
But Ramirez did not open his eyes. He only smiled sorrowfully, but with amazing peace...looking for all the world as if he were finally seeing the end of the bad dream.  
  
So beautiful...so horrible...  
  
"RAMIREZ!!" the Blue Rogue screamed, pure, Crystalen-cold fear surging in him even as hot tears poured down his cheeks. "NO! RAMIREZ!! **RAMIREZ!!!**"  
  
It must have been a strange sight for Fina and Ilchymis, who walked in then with first-aid materials grabbed from emergency boxes aboard the ship, to see their captain weeping bitterly over Ramirez's still body, but the overall message was still clear enough. Fina, who was by no means used to such situations, froze, but Ilchymis, an experienced physician, immediately and decisively walked to Ramirez's other side, setting down the gauze, bandages, and towels to grasp the Silvite's wrist and pause for a moment as the two seventeen-year-olds stared at him with bated breath.  
  
"It's faint, but he still has a pulse, so we've got to hurry if we want to save him," the long-haired physician declared, gently pulling Ramirez away from Vyse, who embarrassedly released him from his embrace, and set him down on the table. "Miss Fina, please come here with those water bottles; we'll need to clean the wounds. I'll need you to cast Riselem, just in case. Captain Vyse, if you could cut Ramirez's jacket off?"  
  
"Y-yes!" they both said, quickly following Ilchymis' instructions.  
  
/_I'll do anything to see Ramirez live,_/ the young captain thought to himself as he carefully sliced the dying man's ruined military uniform off his body with his smaller cutlass. Ilchymis soaked one of the towels in water and daubed at the excess blood as Fina chanted.  
  
When silver and multicolored lights had surrounded Ramirez, Ilchymis glanced up worriedly at his leader. "Captain, Miss Fina and I will take care of Ramirez. I can't guarantee that he'll live, but we _will_ do our best. As soon as it's all over, for better or worse, we will tell you, so please, go to the bridge. Mr. Gilder and Miss Aika are waiting there for you."  
  
The young brunet hesitated, but the older man's wise words brought sense to him, and he nodded once, wiping his face with his clean sleeve. "Thank you, Ilchymis. You too, Fina," he added, glancing at the Silvite girl as he stepped back. "I'm counting on you two!!" And with that, he sprinted off to rejoin his childhood friend, not daring to look back at the three he'd left behind.  
  
He was afraid. He was so afraid... Ramirez was on the verge of dying, and there was nothing he could do aside from hope that whatever Ilchymis and Fina did would be in time to save him.  
  
/_Ramirez... Ramirez... Ramirez!!_/ Vyse fretted to himself, forgetting about the blood on his jacket as he agonized over the fate of the man for whom he cared so much. /_ Please, please, Moons, let him live... I won't be able to take it if he dies, because I—_/  
  
He stopped dead in his tracks, his brown eyes widening with revelation.  
  
/_...because I love him..._/  
  
  
  
Fina, in the meantime, bit her lower lip nervously, placing the irreparable military jacket aside—it would have to be thrown away later—and helping Ilchymis clean and dress Ramirez's wounds, trying not to be ill all over her dying childhood friend.  
  
/_I as much as told him I hated him when he admitted he was...in love...with Vyse,_/ she thought guiltily, though with disquiet at the memory of the confession, /_but I'd never wish anything like this on him... He's been so cruel to me lately, but I...I still care about him... If I can help him recover from—from _everything_, from all the hurt he's suffering, from all the depravity he's collected..._/ A note of hope arising in her mental voice, she continued,/_Even if he doesn't fall for me, at least maybe we can be like we used to be again..._/  
  
"Miss Fina?" Ilchymis queried, breaking the blonde girl from her thoughts.  
  
"Oh! Yes?" she replied, wiping her brow nervously.  
  
"If you could cast Sacres, or better yet, Sacrulen while I work... It's slow, but he's getting these bandages soaked," the physician told her worriedly.  
  
"Ah! Yes!" she said quickly, drawing her hands up to her chest and chanting. Fortunately, she _did_ know Sacrulen, which, although slow-acting, would at least serve to repair Ramirez's body. If he had already lost too much blood, though, he'd die from that while having a healed body...  
  
Letting the green light transfer from the magic circle at her feet to her childhood friend's prone form, she drew a chair up close and sat, taking the hand Vyse had squeezed just moments earlier and holding it tightly between both her hands, praying that they would be in time.  
  
"I'm sorry, Miss Fina," the long-haired man said softly as he worked. "Mr. Ramirez must be close to you, judging from how distraught you look..."  
  
"Distraught?" she repeated, looking up sharply, her cheeks pink. "Me? I..." She glanced down at him sorrowfully. "...We used to be very close. We've grown apart in the past several years, though... But even though we've said many horrible things to each other, and Ramirez has done so many terrible things...I would really like for us to be able to go back to those days." Her verdure eyes began to well with tears as she tightened her grip on his freezing hand, praying to the Moons that things would turn out for the best...  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that," Ilchymis said comfortingly, in the process of quickly and efficiently undoing the ruined bandages, cleaning the wound anew, and applying new ones while the Sacrulen spell slowly knitted the cleaved flesh and bone back to its original state. "I don't know what has happened between the two of you, and I'll respect your privacy and won't ask, either. The best I can do right now is try to save his life."  
  
"Thank you, Mr. Ilchymis," Fina murmured, deeply appreciative of the polite man's efforts.  
  
Surveying his patient's remaining clothes, which were also stained with blood, the physician mused for a few brief seconds before speaking again. "Miss Fina, could you bring me a sheet of cloth of some kind? We should get Mr. Ramirez out of those dirty clothes and washed up, but it would be best if there were a...privacy shield, if you will."  
  
The Silvite girl blushed at the thought of removing _all_ of her old friend's clothes and stood, leaving his hand by his side. "Yes, that's a good idea. I'll be right back," she agreed, exiting quickly.  
  
/_Ramirez..._/ she thought again, able to return to her thoughts as she jogged to her room to retrieve one of her bed sheets. /_I need to talk to you again. The Elders always taught us that homosexuality is wrong and depraved... It wasn't something that affected me, so I never even thought about it, and simply accepted it as the truth... But you were willing to sacrifice your life to save us. No, to save Vyse,_/ she corrected herself, blinking back tears. /_You didn't do what you did for the rest of us, did you? But even so... If falling in love with Vyse is what made you finally break away from Valua and Galcian... But still, the Elders wouldn't teach us something that wasn't true..._/ She paused in her thoughts, fretfully recalling what Vyse had told them about the Silvites in the past—things he claimed Ramirez had told him. Fina trusted her captain, but her estranged friend was a different matter, after all that had happened...  
  
/_He's done many terrible things, but I'll give him another chance,_/ the pale-haired young lady decided as she reached her room. /_...For Vyse._/  
  
  
  
It was very difficult for Vyse to keep his attention to the wheel of the Delphinus as he sailed the vessel out of Crescent Isle and raised the altitude to upper sky and hide over the clouds, where Galcian and his fleet wouldn't be able to reach them. He managed by reminding himself that everyone's lives, not just Ramirez's, were at stake, and that kept his leadership mentality intact, but once they were at a safe altitude, the flaming wreck of their once illustrious base disappearing from sight, he couldn't help but return to pondering his realization.  
  
"Our base..." Aika said mournfully, looking out the window.  
  
"Yeah..." Vyse murmured. "We spent so much time and money on it... At least everyone's okay, though," he added, trying to put a positive spin on things.  
  
"Yeah, you're right; at least there's that," she said, smiling a little at her childhood friend. "...So I guess that means Ramirez will pull through?"  
  
Vyse's shoulders visibly sagged, drawing a quizzical look from his best friend. "...I don't know," he said at length, his voice unusually quiet. "It's up to Fina and Ilchymus now."  
  
The redheaded girl regarded him sadly; she personally wouldn't have minded if Ramirez happened to die from the wounds he'd sustained. /_It would serve him right,_/ she told herself stubbornly, refusing to cut the Silvite any slack. /_But...dammit, Vyse, why do you have to care about that bastard so much..._/  
  
"He'll be okay," she told her captain encouragingly. "Those two won't let you down."  
  
He smiled at her gratefully, although it was somewhat weak. He had seen the wounds, and although he didn't want to admit, the fact remained that it looked bleak. /_No, dammit! You can't let yourself think like that!_/ he reprimanded himself once more.  
  
"Well, what happens, happens," Gilder commented bracingly. "For right now, we ought to think up a plan...and a place to start up a new base."  
  
"Maybe we could try an island in North Ocean? Or find some clear land in Ixa'taka?" Aika suggested.  
  
"We can't just repeat what we did last time," Vyse said with a shake of his head. "Knowing Galcian, he's probably gonna get us tailed. We need to find a place where it'll be impossible for him to find us...and even if he _did_ find us, it'd be impossible for him to attack us."  
  
"Vyse, is there any place in the world like that?" Gilder queried in surprise, but Aika looked thoughtful.  
  
"Glacia..." she murmured. "What about Glacia?"  
  
Vyse blinked, and his eyes widened as he recalled the city of ice...  
  
"Aika!" he cried. "That would be _perfect_! We can go in from beneath so Galcian can't see the Delphinus, and if Glacia survived the Rains of Destruction, then it can survive _anything_!"  
  
She grinned in pride at being able to cheer up her downcast friend and winked. "And there's already plenty of buildings and stuff, so we don't have to go through the trouble of making anything from scratch!"  
  
"Izmael won't be pleased to hear that!" Gilder laughed. "Heh; so now it's my turn to see the Lands of Ice? Sounds like a plan! But we'd better stop by Maramba to restock on supplies...fuel...Red Moon Stones in case it's a little too cold at night..."  
  
The young captain nodded. "I think someone who isn't as easily recognizable should go, though. I don't want them to get any ideas what we're doing..."  
  
"Hey, that's why you've got crew members—to delegate those kinds of jobs," Gilder smirked, rubbing his goatee. "But now that we've got a plan, how about we give Galcian the slip?"  
  
Vyse and Aika cheered, "Yeah!"  
  
Knowing what he was going to do greatly improved the Blue Rogue's mood, but once they began to move south, keeping over the clouds as much as possible, Vyse was finally given time to step back and think deeply on Ramirez.  
  
/_I wonder if Fina and Ilchymis were able to save Ramirez..._/ he thought, trying not to get too morose. /_I hope so..._/  
  
He blushed at the memory of when he had realized he loved the Silvite. The revelation had come as quite a surprise, to say the least... What was even more stunning was how he knew, at a very profound level, that that was what he _really_ felt, and that it wasn't simply camaraderie, or pity, or an obligation. It was too intense for any of those three...his chest wouldn't ache this much if it were. Conversing with Ramirez, joking with Ramirez, sparring with Ramirez, even arguing with Ramirez... They were all precious memories to the brunet now, and he wanted to make more of them. He wanted to be able to hold his fellow swordsman tight like he had just the other day, without mocking the emotion behind it by calling it mere friendship.  
  
It astounded him how long he had let the depth of his feelings go unacknowledged, and he cursed his inability to see something that should have been obvious to him. After all, they were _his_ feelings. He only hoped that he wasn't too late in the realization...  
  
The metal door opening sounded behind him, and someone rushed in. "Vyse!" called Fina, grabbing everyone's immediate attention. "Mr. Ilchymis and I just..."  
  
"How's Ramirez?" the captain of the Delphinus blurted out as he abandoned the wheel to Lawrence to approach her, cutting her off, then caught himself. "Sorry," he apologized.  
  
The verdure-eyed girl smiled at him, shaking her head. "It's okay," she reassured him. "Ramirez... He's alive."  
  
Catching everyone off-guard, Vyse embraced the young Silvite maiden tightly. "Thank you," he said emphatically, before releasing her and murmuring an apology.  
  
"Um...er...yes," Fina said, her cheeks pink. "He's in the medical ward... He's still unconscious, but his pulse and breathing are stable now, so Mr. Ilchymis is confident he'll survive. But he lost a lot of blood...so he'll need a lot of rest."  
  
"So do all of us," Vyse grinned, though the gesture was slightly embarrassed. "Maybe we should drop anchor before long and get a good night's sleep."  
  
Fina nodded, and then blushed more when she saw the catty grin Aika was giving her.  
  
Hoping briefly he hadn't given the Silvite girl any wrong impressions, Vyse turned back to the view of low sky, his heart swelling with happiness. Ramirez was alive!  
  
/_As soon as he wakes up, I'll tell him how I feel and apologize for being so thick for so long,_/ he swore to himself. /_It's the least I can do for hurting him. I love him, and I'm certain of it! I just wasn't sure until now._/ His confidence and optimism reviving with great vigor, Vyse continued mentally, /_I won't hold back anymore!_  
  
/_...Just, please, wake up..._/  
  
  
  
Later in the night, when the Delphinus had settled down under the mountain range to the north of Maramba and everyone was gratefully getting ready for bed, Aika pulled her Silvite friend into her room, smirking the entire way.  
  
"You sure made Vyse's night, Fina," she grinned once a locked door ensured some privacy.  
  
Fina immediately turned beet red. "Ai..Aika! There's nothing going on between us! I... I swear I wouldn't get in your way!" she gasped.  
  
"Hey, it's okay, Fina," the pirate girl grinned nervously. "He doesn't think of me as anything more than a kid sister, anyway." Winking, she added, only half-joking, "And better you than Ramirez!"  
  
Fina frowned at the parting jab, having been thinking about her former friend's near sacrifice. "Aika..." she murmured.  
  
"Yeah, I know," the redhead amended, her smile lessening. "He did do a lot for us just now... But if you think about it, it's his fault it happened in the first place. I still don't like him. And you _would_ be better for Vyse than he would. At least you're Vyse's age!"  
  
The female Silvite mulled over this quietly. On one hand, she did like Vyse a lot, but considering how badly it had gone the last time she had tried to make her feelings known...  
  
At length she said, "It might...be too hasty right now. Besides, I'd rather know how he feels... I don't want to embarrass myself again."  
  
Understanding that Fina was referring to when she hastily confessed to Ramirez, the Air Pirate girl nodded sympathetically. "Well, you can at least be sure that Vyse doesn't secretly hate you," she said bracingly. "Vyse isn't dishonest like that."  
  
Fina nodded in silent agreement and murmured, "...Yes, but... I don't think now is a good time..."  
  
"Yeah, I can understand that," the boomerang wielder nodded. "It'd be better pick a time when things have calmed down."  
  
Settling onto her bed, the pale blonde Silvite asked, "Do you think everything will work out?"  
  
"Well... I can't say anything for sure..." Aika replied, looking out her window. She laughed and winked at her friend before continuing, "But I bet it will! I know if you asked Vyse, he'd say not to give up—'cause once you give up, it's all over!"  
  
The green-eyed woman nodded emphatically in response. "Thank you, Aika," she said, encouraged by her friend's words. "But...maybe now we should get some sleep? It's...been a rather long day..."  
  
"Yeah, you said it," the redhead replied with a nod, stretching and heading for the door to return to her own room. "Let's get to bed. Sweet dreams, okay?"  
  
Fina nodded, and said, "Good night."  
  
There were all too few good nights or sweet dreams to be had by those aboard the Delphinus that night, however.  
  
  
  
_"There is an edge, Ramirez...as razor-thin and sharp as the edge of the sword you bear. And you are walking upon it."  
  
"Are you truly satisfied with giving up your life for Vyse after protecting him just that once? As long as Galcian lives, he will be threatened. Even so, are you content?"  
  
"I sensed you long ago, and believing that you would be able to wield my sword the way I had intended, I slept, waiting for you to realize your potential."  
  
"That girl? Judging from her appearance, she seems to be a Dreamseer. I honestly hadn't thought there were any of them left, though..."  
  
"Let me help you, Ramirez. I still believe that you can wield Ilazki properly. Your hardships will not end here, but you can grow strong enough to rise above them."  
  
"This is not a time to waver! Awaken! _Ramirez!!_"  
  
_With a sharp gasp, the white-haired man jolted awake, the sheets and blankets falling away from his heaving, bandaged chest.  
  
"A...dream...?" he whispered, raising his left hand to stare wide-eyed at his palm, then running his fingers through his bangs with a ragged sigh. Glancing upwards and around himself, he didn't immediately recognize his surroundings, but his location dawned on him after several seconds of reorganizing his thoughts.  
  
"The medical wing of the Delphinus..." he whispered, straightening his posture. "I'm...alive...?"  
  
"Mr. Ramirez?" an unfamiliar voice sounded then, and a proper-looking man with long, light brown hair and white and green robes appeared from behind a hospital curtain. He smiled warmly, set aside the clipboard that had been in his arms and pushed his glasses up his nose, and approached as the Silvite stared at him. "Thank the Moons you've regained consciousness! Captain Vyse and Miss Fina will be so pleased."  
  
Staring blankly at the man he'd never met, the Silvite queried, "Who are you?"  
  
"Oh!" He smiled apologetically. "Excuse me. I don't believe we've ever been formally introduced. My name is Ilchymis; I'm a physician and pharmacist. Captain Vyse asked me to join his crew not too long ago. I'm not precisely a doctor, but under the circumstances, I had to do... Miss Fina and I were the ones who saved your life; I've been watching over you all night, to make sure your condition stayed stable."  
  
"I see," Ramirez said blandly, looking down at his lap and noticing for the first time that, aside from bandages covering his chest and arm, he was naked. Blushing furiously, he immediately pulled the blankets in front of him up towards his chest.  
  
"Your clothes were ruined," Ilchymis said gently, sitting down next to Ramirez's bed. "And we needed to clean the blood off of you... Captain Vyse provided a change of clothing for you, however," and he indicated a bundle of clothes that Ramirez had not noticed earlier but now recognized as the spare clothes that the rogue had bought on Sailor's Isle, "so if you like, I'll give you some privacy while I fetch the Captain and Miss Fina."  
  
"You don't need to do that," the Silvite swordsman said stiffly. "Fetch those two, I mean. I would appreciate the privacy, however."  
  
The physician paused, regarding him with a slightly troubled expression. "They were very concerned about your well-being," he said softly. "...But very well. I'll inform them of your awakening later. I'd like to run a few tests on you once you've dressed yourself, though, if I may... Check your blood pressure, your temperature, and so on..."  
  
"Do as you please," Ramirez murmured, then watched the long-haired man nod and go to stand behind the same curtain as before. With a tired sigh, he carefully removed himself from the hospital bed, fighting off a wave of dizziness as he stood, and began to don the outfit, noting that there were also bandages on his leg where he had almost sustained an involuntary amputation.  
  
/_Why didn't I die...?_/ he wondered as he pulled on the various garments, eyebrows furrowed. /_Michaol... No. It was just a dream._/  
  
Doing his best to dismiss the disturbing events in his sleep, the ex-Admiral collapsed onto his bed and shut his eyes.  
  
A few more minutes passed, and Ilchymis emerged with various medical tools and a patient smile. Ramirez paid little attention to what he did or said thereafter, though, letting himself be poked and prodded and made to drink a couple of glasses of water to help replenish his bodily fluids. And when the pharmacist was done, he settled back into the bed and let himself give in to his exhaustion to return to sleep, this time one undisturbed by night visions...  
  
  
  
Like many members of the crew of the Delphinus, Vyse woke up around the same time Ramirez had, from a spectacular nightmare. Sweating and trembling and on the verge of furious tears, he immediately tore his covers off and jumped out of bed, pushing his sweat-soaked bangs out of his eyes.  
  
/_I'll _never_ let that happen to Ramirez,_/ he told himself fiercely, with an almost frenzied sense of protectiveness. /_NEVER!_/  
  
The grotesque images that he had beheld in his sleep had terrified him, but they had also filled him with a burning desire to safeguard the man he finally realized he loved. The helplessness he had experienced while being forced to watch, unable to move, such a horror being inflicted on the pale man... And by the man he had once served, no less. Vyse still recalled what Galcian had said to him last night in the waking world about not being the one to blame, but that didn't stop him from loathing the Grand Admiral more forcefully than he had ever loathed anyone in his entire life.  
  
/_I won't _ever_ let Galcian touch Ramirez,_/ he told himself again, forcing on a fresh, non-bloodstained set of his usual clothes with his jaw clenched. /_I'll die before I ever let him hurt Ramirez like that again!!_/  
  
For while it _had_ simply been a nightmare, there were all too many parallels to the events of the real world to be able to write it off; although what had happened was technically an impossibility, having just woken up, Vyse almost believed it _could_ happen, and that caused one of two things: first, it truly drove home the fact that he loved Ramirez, and second, it made him realize that he could never tolerate something like that happening to the one he loved.  
  
The Blue Rogue pulled on his boots furiously and left his room, heading first for the bridge, where no one was yet present, and then to the dining hall, which hosted a handful of people, including Polly, Fina, Aika, and Gilder, the lattermost of whom was smoking a cigar.  
  
Vyse's mood was mollified somewhat upon seeing his friends, and after chatting briefly with Polly, who looked very tired, and picking up a breakfast she'd just cooked, he sat with his companions.  
  
The first thing he noticed was that none of them seemed overly cheerful; each of them had a somewhat somber mood. After his own night horror, Vyse wasn't about to criticize, but he _was_ curious.  
  
"Hi, guys," he greeted them, starting in on his sausage and eggs. "...What's wrong?"  
  
Aika smiled unenthusiastically, waving a hand. "We didn't have very good dreams," she said, her tone uncharacteristically flat.  
  
"I didn't either..." Vyse frowned before taking a large bite of meat and chewing thoughtfully.  
  
"It's hardly surprising," Gilder yawned, putting out his cigar on the table. "Considering what happened last night..."  
  
"It seems a little strange, though, that all of us had nightmares," Fina said quietly, her face slightly ashen.  
  
The goatee-sporting rogue waved it off. "Everyone we talked to had a bad night," he said. "It's not like it's just us. Everyone went under the same stress; it's natural."  
  
"I just hope I don't have another dream like that ever again," Aika moaned, resting her head on the table next to her plate. "Brrr... Just thinking about it gives me the shivers..."  
  
"What did you all dream about?" Vyse queried, curiosity piqued.  
  
She shuddered and clapped her hands to her arms. "I don't want to talk about it."  
  
"Me neither," Fina murmured, picking at her food.  
  
"Heh; don't go asking me, either," Gilder chimed in, an eyebrow cocked. "I feel the same way as Aika."  
  
"Yeah, I can relate to that," the captain of the Delphinus murmured, staring at his plate, recalling some of the finer points of his nightmare, and suddenly not feeling so hungry anymore. "...Let's talk about something else."  
  
His companions all agreed, and the conversation turned to their plans henceforth. Breakfast came to a close, the morning passed, and the night terrors were set aside for more important matters. Kalifa, being a native to Maramba, was chosen to go shopping in the Nasrian town on their behalf, and Khazim went with her for protection. Lunch eventually came, and that was when Ilchymis finally came down, smiling brightly.  
  
"Captain Vyse! Miss Fina!" he greeted the two as he had Polly cook a lunch to go for his patient. "I have good news. Mr. Ramirez has awakened."  
  
Vyse's entire demeanor lit up like a Valuan train as Fina clasped her hands to her chest, gasping. "Really?!" he inquired, ecstatic.  
  
Ilchymis nodded. "I came to get lunch for him and myself, but at long as you both here, I figured I may as well tell you two, since you seem so interested in his well-being."  
  
"That's great!" the captain of the Delphinus cheered, grinning. "Thanks, Ilchymis! I knew I could count on you!" He turned to the Silvite girl. "And you, too, Fina."  
  
She smiled, blushing slightly. "Thank you, Vyse."  
  
"He seems reluctant to talk to anybody, though," the Valuan physician added with a slight frown. "He actually woke up several hours ago, but requested that I not tell either of you when I mentioned how happy you would be when you knew he had regained consciousness. I told him that in that case, I would inform you two later, and he fell asleep again shortly afterwards."  
  
Wondering if the Silvite was perhaps upset that he hadn't died as he'd wished, Vyse nodded. /_I've got to talk to him as soon as possible,_/ he told himself. /_But he'll probably want to see as few people as possible... Plus I don't want to say what I need to say in front of anyone else..._/  
  
"Fina," he said, swiveling to face his friend, "I'm betting you're like me and you want to see Ramirez right now, huh?"  
  
Blushing faintly, she nodded.  
  
"But it sounds like he doesn't want a lot of company, so let's take turns, okay?" he suggested. "We'll see him one at a time."  
  
"Okay," she smiled. "That sounds reasonable. Why don't you see him first?"  
  
"Really?" he grinned, relieved that she had suggested it. "You don't mind?"  
  
"You're the captain," she laughed, eyes shut. "And you're the one who went back for him. I can wait a little longer to see him."  
  
"All right, Ilchymis, here's the lunches you ordered," the curvy woman called, handing him a bag meal with a big-lipped smile.  
  
"Thank you very much, Polly," the alchemist smiled, accepting it. "Well, Miss Fina, Captain Vyse, will you follow me to the medical ward? I'll give Mr. Ramirez his meal, then leave you to talk with him, captain."  
  
"Lead away," the brunet grinned, almost bursting with anticipation.  
  
The three of them left the mess hall and reached the hospital wing shortly after. Ilchymis entered the room first, and several minutes later, left, nodding to Vyse and Fina, who were waiting outside.  
  
"He's ready for you, Captain," he said. "I'm going to return to the mess hall for my own lunch. I'll return when I'm done, but if you need me before then, just come get me."  
  
"Thanks for everything, Ilchymis," the brunet rogue beamed, but the Valuan simply smiled, nodded, and headed off.  
  
Nodding to Fina, who sat down on one of the chairs outside the room, Vyse entered and shut the door behind him. "Ramirez?" he smiled.  
  
The Silvite swordsman glanced up at him, then returned his gaze to the bowl of hot vegetable stew on the tray in front of him, idly swirling its contents with his spoon.  
  
"It's good to see you're alive," the Blue Rogue said warmly and sincerely, crossing the room to take a seat next to the patient's bed.  
  
"...Thank you?" the green-eyed man half-replied, half-queried, before taking a bite, figuring his captain would definitely notice if he declined to eat, and that he didn't have the energy for such a confrontation.  
  
The beginnings of Vyse's declaration of love were on his lips, but when he saw Ramirez beginning to dine, he had second thoughts.  
  
/_I'd better wait,_/ he thought. /_He'll be surprised for sure, and I don't want to accidentally make him choke._/  
  
So instead, he turned his thoughts to the events of yesterday. "...Thanks," he decided to say. "I know it must have been tough for you to fight Galcian. I really, really am thankful you did that for me...for us..."  
  
Ramirez nodded, opting to eat instead of verbally reply. It prevented any awkward answers, in any case...  
  
Vyse took the hint, and with a sigh and a shake of his head, though he did both while smiling, he sat back and watched the pale man eat his lunch, content at the moment to bask in his company.  
  
After several moments, he reflected, /_It's amazing. A few months ago, I'd have called anyone who told me I'd fall in love with the guy who burned down Nasrad a nut case... Heck, I never thought when he took us prisoner that we'd ever end up friends, either. Funny how life works out that way... I don't like the things he did, but he's trying to make up for them now. Now I'm just glad we can finally be together._/  
  
He leaned back in his chair, letting his legs spread out, and his foot bumped against something resting under the former Admiral's bed. Curiously, Vyse leaned down to see what it was, and promptly jumped up and away in surprise, knocking the object at an angle to jut out and reveal itself.  
  
It was Ramirez's sword.  
  
The silver-haired man glanced over at him, blinking and giving him a questioning look, then glancing downward. He, too, looked surprised, but then his expression softened, and he said, touched, "You brought my sword."  
  
"Uh—looks that way," Vyse replied, mind reeling. He was certain he hadn't brought it along when he can carried Ramirez back to the Delphinus... No, he _knew_ he didn't. He remembered—Galcian had knocked it away, and it had clattered to the ground, and he had been so focused on Ramirez that the silver blade had left his attention completely.  
  
/_What is that sword doing here?_/ he wondered, sweating nervously. /_It should still be on Crescent Isle!!_/  
  
Ramirez, who had been unconscious at the time and thus didn't know that the weapon had in fact been abandoned, wasn't nearly quite so perturbed, and setting his now mostly empty tray aside on the stand next to his bed, he leaned down and gently grabbed the hilt and lifted the blade into the light to admire it.  
  
"I wouldn't have thought you would have taken this along with me," he said, very mildly; in spite of everything, it was somehow comforting that the one thing that had always previously been with him was still with him, and he appreciated that. "...Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome," Vyse replied, trying to hide his befuddlement. How had that sword gotten on board? Everyone had been on board already, and Aika certainly wouldn't have gone to get it, even if there had been time for it...  
  
/_I'll ask him about it another time,_/ the Blue Rogue thought worriedly. /_This probably isn't a good time..._/  
  
He watched, discomfited, as the Silvite angled the sword this way and that, letting the light glint off of it.  
  
"It might interest you to know that this sword's name is Ilazki," Ramirez commented then.  
  
That was a sufficient distraction, and Vyse seized it. "Ilazki? Like the Archangel of the Silver Moon?"  
  
The former Admiral nodded. "It's an ancient weapon that was given to me by the Elders," he informed his companion. "I've had it since I was a young boy..."  
  
/_That weapon almost killed me,_/ the Blue Rogue thought uneasily, watching the blade getting tilted. /_I wonder if Ramirez ever dreamed how many people he'd kill with that thing when he got it... I doubt it, if he was as much like me as Fina says he was..._/  
  
"I really should hate this thing," Ramirez said then, very softly; Vyse almost missed the comment, and he blinked and stared when it sank in.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because it ruined my life," the Silvite replied. "I had a dream about it last night, come to think of it..." There was a vague hint of a smile on his lips that faded before it was even noticed. "Maybe that's why I can't hate it. It's always protected me..."  
  
"Ramirez..." Vyse said softly, gazing at him with equally soft eyes as the older swordsman sighed and set the silver blade back down on the floor.  
  
"Perhaps it all was just my mind trying to give my sword a personality," the ex-Admiral mused, this time mainly to himself, as he turned his eyes to his hands, which were folded over his lap. "Strange, though; I always, for some reason, thought of Ilazki as being female..."  
  
"I had a dream about you last night," Vyse commented, remembering it again with some distaste. "It wasn't a pleasant one, though... It was like when Galcian cut you down, only much, much worse..."  
  
"Mm," the Silvite uttered.  
  
"...You know, Ramirez..." the young captain hesitantly began, seeing this as his chance. "It also drove home something for me... And that leads me to this something I've been wanting to tell you..."  
  
"Mm?" he murmured, not moving his eyes towards the Air Pirate.  
  
"I realized it after you nearly died in front of me, and..." He took a deep, steadying breath. "...You mean a lot to me. I'd...I'd be devastated if you really did die."  
  
The former Admiral hung his head slightly, not replying.  
  
Vyse glanced at him, his cheeks pink, and continued, his heart thumping, wishing he could be smoother about all this, "It...um... It's not just something I decided all of a sudden, either. I've been thinking about it a lot ever since you told me you loved me—about what I feel for you, I mean..."  
  
Ramirez finally glanced over at him, wondering what Vyse's intended point was supposed to be and dreading it regardless. "...Yes?"  
  
"I... After all this, I realized..." The Blue Rogue swallowed hard, steeling himself for what he was about to say, and gazing seriously at Ramirez, he leaned forward and declared, "...Ramirez, I...I love you."  
  
The Silvite blinked and stared at Vyse, the confession refusing to sink in. "...what?"  
  
The scarred brunet turned a deeper shade of scarlet. "I love you."  
  
Ramirez stared, stunned, at the youth for whose sake he had turned his back on everything he held dear. His insides felt light, as if the buoyant emotion called happiness were fluttering inside his chest...  
  
...but sneaking behind it and stabbing it brutally in the back was the swift realization that this 'confession' was likely borne from pity and guilt. The timing was too convenient: he risks his life and nearly gets killed for Vyse, Vyse agonizes over distracting him at a crucial point and causing his near-fatal injury, then decides to apologize for it by telling him the one thing he wanted to hear. It wasn't love...just a mercy deception.  
  
This revelation cutting him as deeply as the Grand Admiral's sword had—that Vyse would think him pathetic enough to believe this kind of shallow lie—Ramirez shifted his eyes to his lap. "...I... I see..."  
  
The captain of the Delphinus stared at him for a moment, utterly puzzled by the Silvite's noncommittal reaction. /_Shouldn't he be happy?_/ he wondered, confused, then blinked and smiled in realization. /_Heh...I guess it hasn't sunk in. Well, he kissed _me_ after he dropped the bomb on me, so it's only fair to return the favor..._/  
  
He leaned in, reaching out his hands to hold Ramirez's shoulders to hold him steady as he went to touch his lips to his fellow swordsman's, but the Silvite gave a strangled gasp and shoved him away, backing off and keeping an elbow raised between them, as if to act as a barrier.  
  
Now very perplexed, Vyse backed off slightly, staring at Ramirez. "...I don't get it. Isn't this what you wanted?" he queried.  
  
The rogue's inquiry was, to the emotionally damaged Silvite, irrefutable proof that Vyse was only doing this to be kind rather than out of any real love, and shaking his head violently, he croaked, "Don't...don't touch me..."  
  
Becoming extremely baffled, not to mention upset, the young rogue protested, "But—but..."  
  
Gathering his cool, Ramirez relaxed slightly, though his brows were still furrowed, and muttered while glaring sullenly at the Air Pirate, "...Don't try to deceive me. I know this is just pity. So don't pretend that you love me. It won't help anything."  
  
Vyse recoiled as if he'd been slapped, and stared at Ramirez mutely, rendered speechless.  
  
The ex-Admiral averted his gaze, not wanting to see the youth looking at him with that hurt expression. Perhaps he'd been too harsh. Perhaps Vyse actually meant what he'd said...?  
  
/_No. It's not possible,_/ he thought glumly. /_Even if he's being sincere, Vyse must be making himself believe it out of guilt._/ Shutting his eyes, his mental processes continued, /_It would have been better if I had died, than to see him look at me like this... At least now he'll give up on the idea. It'll be less painful than accepting and then him realizing later that it was just a farce..._/  
  
Finally recovering from his shock, the young captain forced himself to speak. "...Ramirez," he began, "I... This isn't pity. I like you. I like being near you. I don't want you to die. I want you to get better, to feel better about yourself..." Throwing up his arms in frustration, he shouted, "This isn't pity!!"  
  
The pale swordsman merely shook his head bitterly, not wanting to accept the possibility of once again getting hurt.  
  
"Ramirez!!" Vyse shouted, almost grabbing the Silvite's shoulders but managing to restrain himself. He took a deep breath, and in a lower tone, he said as sincerely as he could, "...I know you have reason not to believe me. I kept telling you and everyone, even myself, that I couldn't possibly be in love with you. But I am!" His voice rising, he declared, "I am, and I finally realize that! Ask me to do anything to prove it and I will!"  
  
"You're doing a poor job of trying to make me feel better," the ex-Admiral replied bitterly.  
  
Badly stung by the second implication that he was a liar, Vyse frowned in frustration and moved himself away from Ramirez, wishing the Silvite would at least give him a fair chance... And at least the circumstances now were far kinder than when Ramirez had confessed to _him_...  
  
"Say," he said, recalling it, "now you're making me wonder. You're pushing me away, even though I'm trying to get close to you... So why did you kiss me in the first place, back then?"  
  
He didn't need to say more than 'back then' for Ramirez to understand. Clutching his arms to his chest and keeping his eyes lowered, he thought for a moment in silence for a proper answer.  
  
Finally, he parted his lips, hesitated, and murmured, "I was desperate... I wanted to take a hold of that moment and never let go. But I knew, no matter how tightly I clung to it, it would slip through my fingers and disappear forever..."  
  
"Rami..." Vyse murmured. "It's okay now."  
  
"I've told you before not to call me by that nickname," the Silvite mumbled, the reprimand the first thing coming to mind in spite of how little he cared about it now, given the circumstances.  
  
"...That's the first time you've brought it up in ages," Vyse said, still unable to grasp the situation. Ramirez had said he had loved him weeks ago—Moons, he had even said it as recently as yesterday! But now...   
  
It was almost completely beyond his comprehension.  
  
"It's the first time you've called me that in ages," Ramirez muttered, adding that as another reason why the sudden declaration of love was so improbable. Why be so familiar all of a sudden? It was ludicrous to the Silvite.  
  
"I called you that last night!" Vyse challenged. "Just like how you told me you loved me last night!"  
  
"Perhaps so," the former Admiral admitted coldly. "But it still rings false, considering you've otherwise been calling me Ramirez ever since I betrayed you."  
  
The young captain's shoulders sagged. "...I'm just trying to be friendly," he protested weakly.  
  
"I'm well aware of that," Ramirez replied, his tone dropping into temperatures suitable for the Continent of Ice. He would _not_ let himself succumb to the temptation to leave himself open to the rogue, who would clumsily manhandle his emotions as he pleased, as he had been doing for weeks... "Please leave me alone."  
  
Vyse almost protested, but stopped himself. "...All right," he said, frustration and misery gnawing away at him. "You need to rest, anyway..."  
  
"Thank you," the pale man said stiffly, laying himself back on the bed as the rogue rose and began to walk out of the room. Vyse looked back at Ramirez when he reached the door, pursing his lips, but sighed and left, resolving to try to talk to Ramirez later, to somehow show him he wasn't lying.  
  
Fina was waiting outside, and she stood when she saw Vyse leaving, holding her hands over her lap.  
  
"Vyse!" she said. "How is Ramirez doing...?"  
  
Attempting to put on a cheerful face for his friend's sake, he smiled and said, "He's awake, but I think he'll probably need more rest until he's recovered fully."  
  
"I see..." she murmured. /_He _had_ lost a lot of blood,_/ the white-robed girl told herself. /_I wonder if Vyse's visit put a strain on him..._/ Voicing this thought, the blonde Silvite queried, "Should I come back later?"  
  
Vyse shrugged. "I don't know. I suppose, though... It might be a good idea," he said.  
  
"All right," Fina acceded, disappointed but not wanting to somehow damage her estranged friend's health further. "Thank you." The two of them began to walk back together, and she inquired, "What did you two talk about?"  
  
The young rogue flushed, but managed to come up with a suitable cover quickly. He wasn't sure he wanted to broadcast the fact that he was in a relationship with the male Silvite just yet, especially since he wasn't even sure if there was a relationship. "We, er, talked about recent events," he said. Well, it wasn't a lie; that's what they _had_ been talking about before he'd told the white-haired man his true feelings...  
  
Fina took his comment at face value and bowed her head, her gaze lowered to the floor. "He always spoke so highly of Galcian while he was traveling with us," she murmured. "He must really love you to have fought against him."  
  
Vyse thought of the conversation with the former Admiral that had just elapsed and said nothing. He certainly hoped Fina's assessment was correct...  
  
"I'm sorry," she said quickly, mistaking his silence as an uncomfortable one. "But I can't help but feel sorry for him..."  
  
"You're a good person, Fina," he smiled gently. "I know he hasn't been nice to you recently. I'm surprised you aren't more like Aika... She hates his guts..."  
  
"Yes..." the blonde Silvite murmured. "I was angry with him, too. He ridiculed my feelings for him and betrayed all of us. What's more, he said he was in love with you... I thought that it meant that he had become truly immoral. The Elders always taught us that it's wrong to...feel that way...to a member of the same gender," she explained at his confused look. "But now he's given up all he had to protect you..."  
  
"The Elders really taught you that?" Vyse queried, frowning unhappily. /_Moons... It must have been really difficult for Ramirez, then... Being in love with me when he'd been raised to think being gay is wrong... And then me telling him I hated him!_/ he remembered, glancing away. /_I told him I forgave him, but...maybe he can't help but think of that..._/  
  
"Yes," she said sadly, then paused as if realizing something. "But...perhaps the Elders are mistaken. They told us that Arcadians are such awful people, and it turned out that some people are that way, but many, many others, like you and Aika and everyone on this ship, are so kind and thoughtful; if they were wrong about that, they could be wrong about this..." Looking up at Vyse almost pleadingly, she queried, "Vyse, you're the best one to ask... What do you think of Ramirez being in love with you? Does it bother you? How do you feel towards him?"  
  
He flushed and glanced away; those were some awfully sensitive questions... "It's...uh..." he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. "...It was really awkward for a while, and I was surprised and angry with him at first because of the timing, but... I like him, and I really care about him. I want him to be happy, so I can't fault him for feeling that way. I don't think it's wrong at all." /_Especially since I'm in love with him back now,_/ he added mentally.  
  
Vyse's opinion seemed to settle the matter with Fina for the most part, and she smiled, relieved. "I don't think Aika agrees with you," she commented, though, her brow creasing slightly.  
  
"Aika hates Ramirez; of course she wouldn't agree," the brunet sighed.  
  
"Yes..." she murmured, averting her verdure eyes. "Vyse?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
She gazed up at him again almost imploringly. "Ramirez said he hates me, but...I still care about him a lot. Like you, I want him to be happy, so..."  
  
"You really _are_ a good person, Fina," the young captain smiled. "I heard the things he said to you back on Crescent Isle, same as everyone else. It takes a big heart to care about someone who says he hates you."  
  
She smiled back sadly. "I don't even understand _why_ he hates me. It would be easy to hate him back for what he's done, but the way things are, I can't be satisfied with just that... I need to know why. I need to know the truth. But Vyse," she continued, stopping just in front of the door to the bridge and grabbing onto one of his sleeves, "even if he hates _me_, he loves _you_. I believe you might be able to reach him."  
  
He glanced away, thinking of how badly his last exchange with the Silvite swordsman had gone. "You think so?"  
  
The white-robed young lady nodded emphatically. "I think you're the only one who can. So, please... Will you try to bring back the old Ramirez? For both of us?"  
  
He honestly didn't know if he could, but the young rogue couldn't bear to tell Fina that—not when she was looking at him as if he were her last hope. So, with a confident grin, he thumped a fist to his chest and told her, "Leave it to me! I know it won't be easy, but that doesn't mean it'll be impossible." Placing his fists on his hips, he went on, "We just have to be patient. He's got a lot of issues to sort through... He won't heal overnight. But I'm certain we'll get through to him in the end. It's just a matter of time."  
  
She smiled warmly at him, holding her hands to her chest. "Thank you, Vyse," she said, relieved. "I'm so happy to hear you say that! I know if anyone can do it, it's you. You never give up... You're an inspiration to everyone around you... You'll surely be the same way for Ramirez."  
  
Heartened by his friend's words, he returned the radiance of her smile and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be all right in the end. For right now, though, let's let him get used to what's happened. It'll be hard on him when it sinks in..."  
  
"Uh huh," Fina nodded, relieved regardless; now that Vyse had as much as promised her, she felt as if everything would be all right.  
  
Dropping his hand from her shoulder, the captain of the Delphinus headed onto the bridge, the Silvite girl following after.  
  
Kalifa and Khazim arrived back shortly afterwards, and from there, they headed north to the Lands of Ice, keeping to the highest altitudes where they were unlikely to be seen, flying straight over the Dark Rift. They then passed around the ice continent from high sky to low sky, and headed back south to enter Glacia from beneath.  
  
The crew was immensely impressed with the glittering beauty of the ruins, and Izmael, disappointed though he was at not needing to build anything new, looked forward to studying the structures. A nearby treasure chest yielded a Moonberry, and close to that, Vyse caught a Moonfish for Maria's bird, and from there, the crew went few by few via the floating platform to the rest of the city. It was difficult, as the hordes of monsters from before still lurked about, but eventually they all made it inside the largest of the icicle-like, upside-down towers, and went to explore the interior.  
  
Inside, they found a series of elegantly furnished rooms, some neatly arranged, some in casual, lived-in disarray, probably all of them the way they had been since the Old World. There were bedrooms, vast libraries, kitchens, common rooms... There was also a control room at the very top where masonry met glacier, and although the technology was foreign, the more mechanically inclined of the crew promised to tinker around with it and see if they couldn't manage to the heating and plumbing system, which, unlike the platforms outside, seemed to have shut down thanks to a lack of human control.  
  
When a few people had been chosen to take care of those commodities, the rooms were divvied up, Vyse receiving the largest at the bottom of the tower, and other crew members going up from there in accordance to importance.  
  
Ramirez was not as thrilled as may have been expected to claim the other room at the bottom of the tower, a significantly smaller bedroom—perhaps for a servant back in the days of the Old World, and roughly the size of his old room at Crescent Isle—next to Vyse's.  
  
"I'd...rather be alone," he quietly told the rogue in private while they were becoming acquainted with their new quarters, which both, in spite of the difference in size, included their own bathrooms and walk-in closets—a testament to the luxury that the advanced Purple Civilization enjoyed. "I don't feel comfortable, being so close to everyone else..."  
  
"You're still recovering," Vyse replied firmly, moving his things, which he had carried with help from the Delphinus, around. "If you have a relapse, you should be near the rest of us so we can take care of you as soon as possible."  
  
"But—" Ramirez began to protest at the weakness of this logic, then caught himself and bowed his head. "...Fine. You should know that I'll be keeping to this room, though."  
  
The other reason was that the captain of the Delphinus wanted the former Admiral near him; even if there wasn't a solid relationship yet, that didn't mean there wouldn't or couldn't be in the future, and he wanted for them to be able to share a room like they used to on the Delphinus. "I just want you to be all right," he told him gently, pausing in his work to face his fellow swordsman. "You can visit me in here anytime, you know. If it's okay, I'll probably drop by your room to talk to you a lot, too..."  
  
He brushed a hand against Ramirez's cheek, and the Silvite stepped away, refusing to look at Vyse. The Blue Rogue bit back a sigh of frustration, and added, "I wasn't lying when I told you I love you, you know...and I was serious when I told you to ask me to do anything to prove it." Smiling then, he added, "But I won't force it on you, okay? I know things must feel overwhelming right now, even now that it's a few days since we left Crescent Isle. I just want you to know, I'm always here for you."  
  
Ramirez's jaw clenched, and his eyes narrowed, but he said nothing, and after a moment, he sighed, letting his shoulders sag. "I would appreciate the sentiment more if you would hadn't tried to mask it with a façade of love."  
  
"It's _not_ a façade," Vyse argued, stepping forward, which caused Ramirez to step back. "What do I have to say for you to get it? Look, I...know I've been thick. I know I've hurt you. You've hurt me too. But why can't we start over? Now that we know how we feel about each other, why not start over?"  
  
"Why do you claim to be in love with me?" Ramirez queried quietly.  
  
The sudden question threw the captain off balance. "What?"  
  
"Why do you claim to be in love with me?" he repeated.  
  
Vyse regarded the white-haired man for a moment, then replied, "I...don't really know how to answer that. Love's funny... There aren't really any clear answers why you end up feeling the way you do. All I can say is that I really enjoyed the times before you led Galcian to Crescent Isle, and if possible, I want to go back to those days... Only..." His cheeks turned pink. "...as more than friends..."  
  
Ramirez's pale cheeks matched Vyse's, and he turned his back on him and walked several paces away. "...Do you expect me to believe that?" he inquired coolly, trying to maintain his composure.  
  
"Well, why did you fall in love with _me_?" the brunet queried, injured.  
  
The Silvite crossed his arms, hunching over slightly. "...I don't know. But I think it may be one of the poorest decisions of my life."  
  
"Ramirez, why are you doing this?" Vyse demanded, throwing down his arms. "You told me that you loved me! You told me that as you were dying in my arms!! And then the day after, I told you I loved you back, and you rejected me! What happened between then and then?!"  
  
"Vyse, stop it," Ramirez replied, lifting his head to gaze at the ceiling. "I can't trust what you say. I can't trust anyone...not even myself. I'm the one who did this to myself in the first place... You shouldn't trust me either. My actions have proved that I'm not worthy of it."  
  
"Ramirez..." the Air Pirate murmured, gazing at the Silvite's back sadly. "Ramirez, I—"  
  
A knock came at the door, and Aika came in, grabbing her childhood friend's attention. She glanced at the former Admiral and frowned, then looked at Vyse and said, "Hey, Vyse, it's almost time for the meeting. Are you doing okay?"  
  
Knowing she had likely shown up to check on the Silvite swordsman and slightly annoyed because of it, he replied, "Yeah, we're fine. Ramirez and I were just talking..." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Well, we better get to that meeting. I can rearrange this room later." He took a step toward his childhood friend before glancing back at the silver-haired man. "You coming, Ramirez?"  
  
He said nothing, but turned and walked behind Vyse, who resumed his pace and walked with Aika, who kept eyeing Ramirez, to several floors up, where their new meeting room was located.  
  
"He doesn't really need to come with us," the pirate girl murmured to her captain as they were almost there.  
  
"A lot of what just happened and what's going to happen involved him," Vyse murmured back. "He has a right to come to the meeting."  
  
The redhead flashed the Silvite a dirty look, but shrugged to her friend. "I guess you're right."  
  
Gilder and Fina were already waiting for them when they arrived, the former leaning back with his feet resting on the rectangular table. The newcomers quickly took seats that mirrored their usual positions at Crescent Isle, and Vyse started off the meeting.  
  
"Now that we've got ourselves situated at a new base, we've got to figure out where we're going from here," he stated, more calmly than he felt. "Galcian's got five of the six crystals. For right now, that's not a big deal; most of the Gigases are out of commission anyway, and at least they're all in one place." He grinned to his companions, only one of whom didn't return his enthusiasm in any way.  
  
"We'd better lie low for right now, anyway," Gilder commented. "We're lucky Galcian gave us the break he did."  
  
"Yeah," Vyse agreed, glancing at Ramirez. "So next on the agenda is the Great Silver Shrine."  
  
"I think we can sit on that for a few days longer," Aika commented, turning her brown eyes to Fina. "We still need to get settled in, and besides, we've been putting it off for this long... No harm in putting it off for a few days longer, huh? Besides, it's not like Galcian can get up there."  
  
"Yes," Fina agreed, forcing a smile. "He doesn't have a ship like mine, after all."  
  
Ramirez blinked and stiffened, her comment jogging his memory on something that, what with all that had happened in the past few weeks, had completely escaped conscious thought. Eight years ago, when he had descended onto this world, a falling Moon Stone had damaged his ship, and he had been knocked unconscious. However, although navigation had been wrecked, his ship had maintained the ability to keep afloat, and he had stayed where he had been for—he didn't know how long, as when he finally awoke, he had been aboard the Aquila, Admiral Mendosa's flagship. Mendosa, struck with curiosity towards the unusual ship, had kept it, and after seeing to its repairs, Ramirez had eventually had it hidden in the mountain crags surrounding Valua. There it had stayed, waiting to someday be used again to return to the Great Silver Shrine... And although he had never shown the Silvite ship to him, Ramirez had told Lord Galcian about it, disclosed its location to him, had even gone so far as to instruct him in its use in case the Grand Admiral had needed it and Ramirez somehow couldn't pilot it for him...  
  
The conversation had continued, but he was no longer paying attention. It was highly likely that the mighty swordsman had already located the vessel and had traveled up to the Great Silver Shrine to relieve one of the Elders of his Silver Crystal. That meant he would be able to raise Soltis, revive Zelos, and call down the Rains of Destruction...  
  
Bowing his head, the Silvite returned his thoughts to his dream from several nights ago. Michaol had asked him if he could tolerate risking his life to protect Vyse only to allow Galcian to kill him later... It was painful, but Ramirez couldn't allow that. He had already come this far; it would make everything pointless if he suddenly stepped back and let the captain of the Delphinus and his crew get wiped out.   
  
"Um," he uttered, lifting his chin and gazing nervously at the others. They would surely accuse him of withholding information, and while such allegations wouldn't be invalid, as he _had_ refused to tell them Lord Galcian's plans in the past, this was something unintentional... The others didn't notice him at first, and swallowing hard, he raised his voice and said, "About the ship..."  
  
The multiple words caught everyone's attention, and quieting down, all eyes turned to him. "What about what?" Vyse queried, staring.  
  
"About the ship," Ramirez repeated uncomfortably. "A ship that can reach the Great Silver Shrine," he clarified, then paused uncertainly as the others waited for him to make his point. "...Lord Galcian has one." The others expressed their shock, Vyse with a drop of his jaw, Gilder with a raised lip and eyebrow, Fina and Aika with gasps, and Ramirez reluctantly admitted, "He has mine."  
  
They all registered horrified shock, and predictably, Aika jumped to her feet and demanded, "What?! Why didn't you tell us this before?!"  
  
"I had forgotten," he replied dully, knowing fully well how pathetic the truth was.  
  
The redhead looked positively ready to murder him with his bare hands, but Vyse stood and held a hand out in front of her. "Is this the truth, Ramirez?" he asked gravely, brown eyes fixed on the Silvite. "Are you saying that Galcian can get the Silver Crystal?"  
  
"Yes, it is the truth, and I'd be surprised if he doesn't already have it by now," he murmured, green eyes downcast. "It has been a long while since the attack on Crescent Isle, and even longer since he received the other Moon Crystals. There would be plenty of time to retrieve my ship and use it to ascend to the Silver Shrine."  
  
"No!" Fina gasped, distraught. "Ramirez, how could you not tell us something this important?"  
  
Ramirez didn't reply. If she hadn't accepted the truth the first time he had said it, it was unlikely she would come to terms with it the next time around.  
  
"Ramirez," Vyse began, more serious than anyone had ever seen him, "what exactly are Galcian's plans? We might be too late to keep him from getting all the Crystals...but at least we can know what he intends to do with them and make a plan based on that. And you're the only one who can tell us what he's up to."  
  
The Silvite clenched his teeth and shut his eyes tightly. It was too true; he _was_ the only one who could reveal the Grand Admiral's intentions. He had, several weeks ago, refused to betray them to the Blue Rogue, as he still greatly respected his former mentor...but now that things had come along this far, what was the point? He had already pointed his blade at Galcian in order to protect Vyse...telling the Blue Rogue the Grand Admiral's true intentions wouldn't be any different from that.  
  
He sighed, despising himself. "...I told you before that the Elders intend to raise Soltis. That is also Lord Galcian's aim. He wishes to use the power of the Crystals to raise the ancient continent of the Silvites, resurrect Zelos, and, with it under his command, take control of the entire world...all its people, its lands...even the Moons that watch over it. The weak will be slaughtered and the strong will be united under his regime, and with him to guide humanity, to rule it with an iron fist, he will lead the Arcadians to a world where their inherent greed and bigotry will not be used to destroy each other...a world where he can save them from themselves."  
  
Ramirez swallowed hard, acutely aware of the dropped jaws around him. "...And that's about it."  
  
At length, Vyse found his voice and inquired, "...Is that what you meant when you said Galcian intends to save the world?"  
  
The 24-year-old nodded once.  
  
"Save the world, my butt!" Aika declared, glaring at the white-haired man. "He's just a power-hungry dictator, and he's got you totally duped!"  
  
Ramirez clenched both hands into fists, but said nothing.  
  
"Vyse!" she went on, turning to her childhood friend. "What should we do?! We've got to get to the Great Silver Shrine right away!"  
  
The brown-eyed Blue Rogue frowned slightly, looking down at the table for a few seconds of thought, then gazed up at everyone, determined. "There's no point in going right now," he declared. "If we do, we'll end up leaving everyone behind here to do all the work. Let's take care of our new base first, then prepare Fina's ship so we can set off first thing in the morning." He flashed a smile to the girl mentioned. "That okay with you?"  
  
"Uh huh," the Silvite girl murmured with a nod, although she still worried about the Elders.  
  
"We'd better get moving, then," Gilder commented. "No time to waste, now that we know this."  
  
"Yeah," Vyse nodded. "Now that that's settled, let's get to work!"  
  
The four others agreed with varying levels of enthusiasm, and with that, the meeting was adjourned. Ramirez returned to his room alone, and retreating to his bathroom, he gazed at his reflection in the mirror darkly and raised a hand to his chest.  
  
He had yet to remove the bandages on his body... But they ought to be healed by now, he knew, and there was no point in putting it off longer. He stripped down to his underwear, baring his wrapped-up leg, arm and chest, then began to slowly peel off the strips of cloth from them.  
  
All three body parts bore scars, though they were all faint—the one of his leg so faint, it couldn't be seen unless you were looking specifically for it. The ones on his arm and his chest, running diagonally from right to left, could clearly be seen, though, as streaks of white on his already pale skin...  
  
Unable to suppress a shudder, Ramirez touched the repulsive line running across his chest lightly, nauseated, recalling his battle with the Grand Admiral. Healing magic generally prevented scar tissue from forming, but this wound was a terrible one... With this, he would always have a reminder of his treachery...  
  
Shutting his eyes tightly and swallowing hard, the jade-eyed man pulled his clothes back on and stumbled out of the bathroom, all too willing to do whatever work was asked of him, if only to be able to forget, however temporarily, what he had done.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
**NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal Arcadia_ [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong.  
  
**Ayu:** Thanks to Kinzoku for helping with the battle scene between Ramirez and Galcian. You're the best! ^^;  
  
**Ayu:** There's nothing like learning 18 chapters into a fanfic that you've screwed up on a given character's age _and_ height. That being said, Ramirez is 24 and roughly 5'10-11", as opposed to Vyse, who is 17 and 5'7". Oops. c_c; We've decided to retcon Ramirez's age to what it should be (the scene where Aika and Fina discuss Rami's age in chapter 12 was changed slightly for that reason), but we're leaving him as being shorter than Vyse because Ramirez is described as shorter and Vyse taller so much that it would be too much of a pain to go back and fix them all (plus if any were missed accidentally, it would cause some confusion). Poor thing, suddenly made to shrink like that... c_c;  
  
**Ayu:** The next chapter will deal with the nightmares that everyone (among the main crew, anyway) suffered after Ramirez nearly died. There will be story around the nightmares, but this FUDT™ bonanza will be the meat of the chapter. Just so you guys know, so you don't all agonize over wondering what will happen when everyone goes up to the Silver Shrine (that will be the feature of chapter 20) or what the heck everyone dreamed about (that will be covered next time).  
  
**Ayu:** This chapter's lyric-title is taken from _Toki ni Ai ha_ (_At Times, Love..._), an insert song from _Shoujo Kakumei Utena ~Adolescence Mokushiroku~_. Full lyrics can be found, as always, at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!_, the link to which you can (indirectly) find below.  
  
**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com**  
Contact Ianthe of d.I:** ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))  
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net))


	19. Chapter 19: Semete Kono Tsukiakari no Sh...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  
**Chapter 19:** Semete Kono Tsukiakari no Shita de Shizuka na Nemuri wo  
(_At Least Underneath This Moonlight, Let Us Sleep a Quiet Sleep_)  
*This chapter rated R for mature content (violence)

  
  
  
  
  
  


"Ramirez!" Fina called, walking hurriedly up to her estranged friend as he left his room.  
  
He glanced at her briefly and turned his head away. It was bad enough that he had just beheld the disgusting white scar that his chest now bore; he definitely didn't want to talk to the girl whom he had so deliberately and spitefully verbally abused...  
  
"Ramirez," she said again, more quietly, as she came to a stop next to him, raising her hands to her chest. "...Is it all right if I talk to you?"  
  
/_You're talking to me now,_/ he thought, but in no mood to do anything but wearily submit, he simply nodded once.  
  
"Umm..." she murmured, bowing her head slightly and averting her verdure eyes. "I... About what you said a little while ago, in the meeting..."  
  
"It is true, and I did just forget," he said quietly, anticipating her inquiries.  
  
She gazed up at him sadly. "Ramirez, do you hate the Elders?"  
  
He was silent for a moment. Where had _that_ question come from? It had nothing to do with what they were talking about, and it had nothing to do with anything... Never mind the fact that the answer was a solid affirmative. He had volunteered to descend to Arcadia with the original idea that he would be protecting the world... Then they shattered his delusions by informing him that they intended to wipe it clean. They probably wondered why he had cut contact with them so soon, the old fools... It was true that his ship had been damaged, but it was reparable, and had been repaired. He could have talked to them anytime he'd liked. The simple fact was that he'd had enough of their oppression, and though he had been loyal to them since Hahaue's death, their attitudes had been too much, and he decided to sever all connections with his home and live freely among the Arcadians, upon whom the Elders looked down as the 'island-dwellers'.  
  
It, unfortunately, didn't go well—Admiral Mendosa had made sure of that...  
  
"What does that have to do with anything?" the white-haired man murmured.  
  
"Well, you abandoned the mission for Galcian..." she began, her tattooed brow creased. "And then you forget about something as important as your own ship, when Galcian having it means that one of the Elders will die..."  
  
"The original plan was to kill you for _your_ Crystal," Ramirez said quietly, keeping his back to her. "Would you have preferred that, Fina?"  
  
"I don't want anyone to die!" she protested, her voice rising. "I don't want Galcian or Valua or anyone to have the capability to unseal Zelos!" Spreading her arms, the pale blonde girl continued, tears forming, "You may not care about this world, Ramirez, but I do! I love Arcadia! There are so many people, plants and animals, so many beautiful things... It's true that there are ugly things too, but I don't care! I believe that the good in this world outweighs the bad. I want to protect this world!! I don't want the Rains of Destruction to fall and annihilate everything!!"  
  
/_Protect this world..._/ Ramirez thought, the words stirring his memory of the dream he had the night he had almost died.  
  
Fina calmed herself, wiping at her face with the back of her right hand. "...I'm sorry," she amended. "I got carried away... I didn't come here to talk about that. But Ramirez, still," the white-robed girl insisted, looking up at him, "I can't believe you could forget about something so important... You fought so hard to defend us all from Galcian. Even if you only did it for Vyse, Arcadia is important to him, too... Don't you want to protect it, if only to make sure there's still a world for him to live in?"  
  
/_Protect this world..._/ the older Silvite mentally repeated, remembering...  
  
  
_The blasted plains stretched on infinitely in all directions, a flat dimension of obsidian rock and soil. Overhead, the overcast skies were just as omnipresent, hiding all that soared high from sight. The horizons showed nothing but a vague haze, as if there was nothing beyond them. It was a world of black and grey, where the wind alternated between dead and wildly roaring, and Ramirez stood in the center of it, his black and red uniform no protection whatsoever from the cold.  
  
He tried not to shiver, but the intermittently blowing gales sliced through his clothes as easily as the Grand Admiral's had, and he clutched his arms to his chest, stepping forward, the slate-colored earth crunching beneath him with every footstep.  
  
/_Is this the underworld?_/ the Silvite wondered as he walked aimlessly, green eyes lackluster. /_Have I died? Have I gone to Hell?_/  
  
It was the logical conclusion, and wandering for eternity to nowhere while the wind sometimes tried to push him over seemed like a suitable punishment...so he continued to place one foot in front of the other, advancing to a place he knew not, without rest or cessation, believing he deserved his suffering.  
  
At length, although the scenery had not changed in the least, the windstorm died down and remained that way. Ramirez traveled on for how long, he knew not, but eventually, he stumbled, the process and repeat of wind and no wind broken, and dropped to his knees, his palms slapping the dead earth as he doubled over, his silver bangs falling in a disarray to become a veil hiding his face.  
  
It was, he noticed now that the wind had faded, silent. The only sound he could hear was his own breathing, and Ramirez was struck by the urge to yell, to do something to break the oppressive silence. Instead, restraining that urge, he stared blankly at the ground. He didn't want to walk to a destination he didn't know anymore. If he were to remain here, alone, for eternity...that would be fine with him.  
  
Ramirez lifted his head to gaze up at the hazy skies, but was startled to see a stone slab not more than five feet away from him, and though obscured partially by the mist, the sword impaled into it was very familiar...  
  
With a sudden surge of energy, he pulled himself to his feet and ran to the rock. It was, indeed, his sword. Grasping the hilt, he pulled, and nearly fell backwards due to the ease with which the blade came loose.  
  
He regained his balance and surprised himself by smiling wholeheartedly as he lifted Ilazki, lips curling back in preparation of laughter as he gazed at its deadly beauty. He didn't laugh, however; he merely sighed contentedly. He wasn't alone. It was...comforting. He had wandered this wasteland for—how long, he didn't know... But it was long enough for him to realize he couldn't stand the desolation.  
  
Past the sharpness of the blade, Ramirez could see the fog slowly creeping apart to form a cleft, as if to reveal a path. He swiped his weapon downwards, toward it, and the way instantly opened, the mist being sliced apart.  
  
In the distance was, he could now vaguely see, a range of craggy, jagged mountains. A destination! One that could be seen, reached, realized... Ramirez almost moved to leap forward, to sprint towards them—but then remembered where he was...why he was here. If he went there, would he truly find himself in Hell? It was where he belonged, after all... But where else was there to go?  
  
"I...must accept responsibility for what I have done," he murmured to himself, and somberly began to advance again.  
  
He continued to walk, the mist parting and fading before him. It was almost dreamlike, but he could hear and feel every step he took, as well as every breath. Besides, there was no way he could have survived that wound. This was no dream. And on he walked. He kept his eyes on the crags that were growing closer and closer, and disregarding everything else around him—it was all covered in haze, anyway, even if it was receding—he approached it, increasing his speed as he advanced...  
  
...until he walked into a bar that dug into his midsection, and unwillingly expelling the air from his lungs, he backed up several paces to observe what had blocked his way.  
  
It wasn't a bar. It was someone's arm. The arm was still attached to that someone, whose back was facing Ramirez, whose front was gazing out at the mountain range, whose long, black cloak hung heavily, obscuring any recognizable body shape.  
  
"It would be bad form to walk off the edge without ever realizing it was there," the person, decidedly male, said, and the Silvite redirected his gaze to the man's feet, where the ground dropped off sharply.  
  
His eyes widened slightly, but he then remembered that he was dead. What difference did it make if he fell or not? His eyes flicked back up at the man. Who was he? Another lost soul, or...  
  
...Maybe Hell at least had the decency to collect the damned instead of leaving them to wander.  
  
"Who are you?" Ramirez queried quietly, wanting to make sure of the stranger's identity first.  
  
"My name is Michaol," the man replied without looking at him.  
  
The Silvite's eyes widened. Michaol—as in the Fallen Angel? No, perhaps this man was simply named after him...  
  
...The former Admiral recalled then one of Vyse's alternate endings to the myth of the fallen one—how he had become the Lord of the Dead... Who knew? Perhaps the Arcadians knew something he didn't. It wouldn't be the first time...  
  
"Are you the King of the Dead?" he inquired, gazing at the black-haired man. He took a deep breath as Michaol glanced over his shoulder at him, and steeled himself. "...I'm ready. Take me to Hell."  
  
The taller man blinked once. "...Take you to Hell?" he repeated, eyebrows furrowed.  
  
Ramirez peered at him. "Are you not Michaol, the Fallen Angel? The one who defied God and nearly destroyed the world?"  
  
The cloaked man turned to him, peering back with serious, crimson eyes. "...No."  
  
"Another lost soul, then?" Ramirez guessed.  
  
Michaol glanced down at Ilazki, which the Silvite still grasped in his right hand, then back at its bearer's face. "...In a manner of speaking."  
  
"Why did you stop me?" the green-eyed man asked. "I'm already dead, a fall won't do anything to me."  
  
The taller man's sable eyebrows furrowed, and he scowled slightly. "The sword in your hand," he said. "How did you acquire it?"  
  
Ramirez's grip on his sword tightened. Suspicious of the man's intentions, he replied, "It was given to me. What of it?"  
  
"Given to you?" Michaol repeated, scowl deepening. "By whom?"  
  
Taking a step backward, the young Silvite raised his blade slightly. He did not like the route these questions were going. "It belongs to _me_," he repeated his expression darkening. "The Elders entrusted it to me."  
  
The black-haired man regarded Ramirez silently for a moment, obviously noting the hostile movement. "It was given to you..." he murmured as much to himself as to Ramirez. "When you were a young child? Perhaps nine...ten...eleven years old?"  
  
"Yes," the shorter man replied, his voice terse. Who was this man? Why did he know of Ilazki and when it was gifted to him?  
  
"Then it was you I sensed back then..." he murmured, his expression softening. "What's your name?"  
  
For a moment, the young Silvite was tempted to deny him his name; why should he tell anything to this stranger? But, it wasn't as if that information was anything vital or secret. It was just a name, and so he replied curtly, "Ramirez."  
  
"Ramirez," Michaol repeated, gazing at him evenly. "It has been a long time... It's good to meet you at last." He paused, then frowned slightly. "...Or perhaps not. You mentioned that you had died... It seems an impossibility, though..."  
  
Confused by the strange man's words, Ramirez, his blade still raised, asked warily, "Why do you say that?"  
  
"You are here, are you not?" Michaol frowned. "The dead cannot dream."  
  
The young Silvite was visibly taken aback. "But this isn't a dream," he argued. "I could not have survived those wounds!"  
  
The red-eyed man's frown increased. "Perhaps he's on the edge...?" he murmured to himself. "Yes, that makes sense; he _is_ **here**... Ramirez," he spoke in a louder voice. "Can you explain to me the circumstances?" He took a step forward, looking almost urgent. "Who did you want to protect?"  
  
The shorter man took a step back in reaction. Furrowing his brows, he replied, "Why do you need to know?"  
  
"It's crucial," Michaol replied. "It's the reason why I'm here before you now. That man...the one with the dark beard and the cold eyes. The one you wanted to protect...it was from him, wasn't it?" The dark-haired man shut his eyes, looking troubled. "The fight was going well... But someone called your name, and..."  
  
"...I died," Ramirez said. He lowered his blade, his gaze locked with the tall, red-eyed man's. "It's as I told you. I'm dead now. It's over! It's finally over!" he replied, his last words tinged with near-hysteria.  
  
"You are _not_ dead!" Michaol said sharply, maroon eyes flashing in anger. "If you die, what becomes of the one you wanted to protect?!"  
  
The male Silvite was momentarily struck mute by the dark-haired man's outburst. Then he spoke, "...It doesn't matter. He won't have to worry about me anymore. Vyse will...be fine."  
  
"If Vyse would be fine without you, why did you want so desperately to defend his life?" Michaol inquired shrewdly. "If you were not needed, what would be the point?"  
  
"That's not important! If it weren't for me, he wouldn't have been in that situation!" Ramirez shouted back.  
  
Undaunted, the black-haired man queried, "And has the situation changed now? Will Vyse be completely safe, even though you are gone?"  
  
This made the young Silvite stop in his thought process. Would Vyse be safe? After all, he had died and... But no, Lord Galcian had promised to spare Vyse only as long as he never again would take up arms against him. And continuing to challenge Lord Galcian, Ramirez knew with despairing certainty, was exactly what Vyse would do. His death had been meaningless. Vyse would continue to fight against the Grand Admiral...and die. He bowed his head forward, his shoulders sagging at that grim reality.  
  
The wind picked up then, and with unexpected ferocity, blew against them both towards the mountain range, as if trying to force them over the edge. Michaol, apparently used to this, dug the grooved heels of his fringed, black boots into the soil and crouched before the blast hit—but Ramirez was caught off-guard, and the vicious gust knocked him over...to hurtle down the cliff, still clinging to Ilazki.  
  
"RAMIREZ!" Michaol bellowed, seeing this, and in a serpent-quick motion, shot his left arm down and managed to grab the blade. It slid down several inches, slicing into the flesh of his hand, before it stopped, his grip secured, but weakened by the blood now slipping down the silver weapon, coursing over and past the spikes and grooves, and pit-patting onto Ramirez's right hand, balled into a fist around Ilazki's hilt.  
  
"Wha—" the Silvite uttered.  
  
"Are you all right?" Michaol cut him off in a surprisingly calm voice, one eye twitched shut. "Can you hold on?"  
  
Wide-eyed, Ramirez simply nodded.  
  
Surprisingly, he smiled. "That's good to know," he said, and began to inch backwards, pulling the sword and Ramirez both slowly back up the cliff, the wind howling above him.  
  
The Silvite hugged the wall of the crevice as best he could, hating the helpless feel of his legs flailing in midair, and, though he didn't quite understand the point, tried to climb up to aid Michaol some. The blood was disconcerting... If they were already dead, why and how could the stranger get injured?  
  
On an impulse, the silver-haired swordsman glanced down, wondering what was at the bottom of the cliff—and his stomach lurched. The bottom couldn't clearly be seen, but that didn't stop Ramirez from _sensing_ it—writhing, groaning shapes, predatory, wild, waiting for something to fall down to them, like a bone to a pack of starved hunting dogs...  
  
Swallowing hard, he forced himself to look back up again, suddenly dreading a fall. An anxious minute passed, until Michaol had hoisted him high enough to grab his other hand with the one not tightly grasping the blade, and pulled him up over the edge.  
  
The wind still howled, but by remaining flat to the ground, Ramirez managed to keep from being blown back again. His grip on his sword, now that he was on flat land, loosened, and the stranger took that opportunity to pull it from him, take it in his right hand, and, surging to his feet, slash toward the direction of the wind.  
  
The current broke, and the bluster changed direction, then quickly died—soon enough to reveal the sound of something approaching very close up the cliff wall behind them.  
  
Ramirez got to his feet, ready to demand his weapon back, but Michaol swiveled and swiped the air—just as a horrendous creature burst upward. The fiend was colored grey as dark as pitch, and various parts of its body were either dull maroon or gold or, like the runes running up its right leg and left arm, silver; its body was wiry and contorted, with long, vicious claws, but most harrowing of all were its phosphorescent eyes, which glowed a brilliant and unearthly viridian. It was snarling, but its guttural voice changed to a furious howl as it was dealt that powerful slash. The swordsman in black attacked again, driving Ilazki through the monster's chest, then kicked it off and retreated to let it fall back down, keening the entire way.  
  
There was a moment of silence where neither man moved, before the cloaked stranger finally breathed a ragged breath and glanced at Ramirez. He began to speak, but stopped himself and looked the Silvite over, his eyes widening as if in revelation.  
  
"...I see now..." he murmured. "The wind and the creatures...they're here because of you..."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Ramirez demanded, angry, confused, and vaguely frightened.  
  
Michaol glanced at him, jaw set. "Ramirez..." he said quietly. "Do you fear insanity? Losing your mind, your identity, to madness?"  
  
The green-eyed man stared at him for a long while before replying, "Yes. Who...who doesn't fear that...?"  
  
Michaol chuckled mirthlessly, glowering down into the darkness. "Your demons are frightening ones... All waiting to overtake and consume you, as soon as you fall into them... And adversity continually pushes you toward the edge, until the day you fall off... No. You are constantly on that edge, it seems," he corrected himself, turning the silver blade in his hand slightly, as if it were telling him something. He turned away from the cliff and placed an arm around Ramirez's shoulders. "Come," Michaol commanded, frowning slightly. "Let us move away from here while we can."  
  
The former Admiral flinched at the contact and shrugged free of the arm, but let the tall man lead him away. A hundred questions still burned in his mind, but he hardly knew where to begin, never mind comprehending the events that were taking place.  
  
A distance away from the dangerous cliff edge, Michaol stopped, and turned to face Ramirez once again. He raised Ilazki and glanced at its silver blade briefly, touching the fingers of his left hand up its sharpness before grasping the crystal weapon in that hand and offering hilt-first back to Ramirez.  
  
The Silvite scowled at him distrustfully, but accepted it back, placing his right hand on the handle. The other man did not release it, however, and simply gazed evenly at the shorter swordsman, his blood-red eyes meeting Ramirez's deep green ones.  
  
"There is an edge, Ramirez...as razor-thin and sharp as the edge of the sword you bear," Michaol declared calmly, the two of them connected by Ilazki. "And you are walking upon it."  
  
"What... what are you talking about?" the Silvite finally demanded, his confusion finally reaching a breaking point as he pulled back in an attempt to free his sword from the strange man's grip. He was startled to discover that he may as well have tried to uproot a tree; Michaol was surprisingly strong.  
  
"I speak of the line separating madness and sanity," the black-haired man stated, almost completely ignoring the ex-Admiral's attempts to free Ilazki. He jerked his head toward the cliff they had just left, and continued, "That creature you just saw? It was borne from your own mind." Michaol set his eyes on Ramirez again. "Nothing should be able to climb up that cliff. For one of your demons to try almost to the point of success to devour you..." He shook his head and finally let down of the silver blade. "Never have I encountered someone so...so with the potential to become so violently insane. You must have had several harrowing experiences...and responded exceedingly poorly to them."  
  
"I'm not crazy!" the young man shouted, backing away from Michaol, but at that moment came unbidden to him a memory of the night after he had been taken prisoner by Vyse...  
  
The Blue Rogue had called him a "psycho". But he wasn't really insane...was he? He began to shake, terrified by the possibility that he might truly be mad after all. It wasn't possible! He prided himself on his logic! ...No, but his actions of late spoke differently...  
  
"...I'm...not insane...am I...?" he whispered, more to himself than as a response.  
  
Michaol regarded him with an expression perhaps of sadness, and sighed. "You are not...healthy, mentally speaking," he stated. "You become disturbed even by the possibility that you are disturbed... But you are not as far gone as you could be. Recovery is a possibility. That much is evident by the fact that I can stand before you now."  
  
Ramirez stared at him, unable to comprehend. "What are you...?" he whispered.  
  
The taller man's crimson eyes flicked to Ilazki. "The Sword of the Dark Moon," he murmured. "It was a common nickname for that blade...particularly among Silvites..." He regarded Ramirez again. "I know, because I used to wield it."  
  
In utter astonishment, Ramirez managed to get out, "You... you... no, that's impossible! You aren't a Silvite!"  
  
Michaol looked away, jaw clenched. "No," he agreed sharply. "No, I am not."  
  
"Then how...?" the former Admiral inquired further.  
  
He sighed. "A long, long time ago... I fell in love with a Silvite woman... Perhaps this would not have mattered much if she had been a commoner, but she was a Princess." His gaze softened as he presumably recalled happier days with that woman, and Michaol continued, "Her name was Aina. Her people..._your_ people...were not pleased. To have me prove myself, they attempted to send me on a suicidal task. To their infinite amazement, I completed it, though I nearly died in the process. What's more, when I had done it..." He shifted his gaze back to Ilazki. "...that sword, Ilazki, had been born. It had been born, and I was given permission to wield it so long as I swung it in order to defend that which I held dear." He smiled faintly. "Which I did, without fail...up until the day I died."  
  
"...And now you wander as a lost soul," Ramirez surmised.  
  
"I don't...precisely...wander," Michaol replied, with some difficulty. "...I will speak without reserve. My spirit became bound to my sword—your sword. In essence, you hold my body in your right hand. I can appear like this when I am needed...even borrow the body of the one who wields me to lend my strength to those who have someone they desperately want to protect. You wanted to protect Vyse, more than anything else, against...that man. And so, my strength became yours."  
  
Ramirez's eyes widened again in surprise. "It was you!" he cried. "You're the one who almost made me kill Lord Galcian!"  
  
"Was that that man's name? Galcian?" Michaol frowned. "Amazing strength... Very interesting technique... Very, very interesting..." He sighed. "But we are moving off-track. Whether you live or die is up to you; you have the power to determine which way you go. If you truly wish to embrace Death, there is little I can do to stop you. However, I must ask you—are you truly satisfied with giving up your life for Vyse after protecting him just that once? As long as Galcian lives, he will be threatened. Even so, are you content?"  
  
"I..." Ramirez began, but he trailed off and shook his head. "...I don't know what I can do. I hardly deserve to try to protect him, after all that I've done to him..."  
  
"You have spent a long time disregarding the proper use of Ilazki," Michaol noted. "I sensed you long ago, and believing that you would be able to wield my sword the way I had intended, I slept, waiting for you to realize your potential. I do not know what prevented you from awakening Ilazki before now... Either you had no one other than yourself to protect, or you wielded that sword with hate in each swing, or perhaps both... Ilazki is not meant to be used for selfish purposes; her true strength, and yours as her wielder, cannot be tapped otherwise."  
  
"That... that much is true...but I don't have the right to protect him," Ramirez replied with a shake of his head. "I only did what I did because I owed him for the pain I inflicted on him."  
  
The dust around them stirred, as if the wind from before were trying to creep up around them, and Michaol glanced sharply at it. "That is the _only_ reason?" he queried, eyeing it. "Why did you want to protect him in the first place, then?"  
  
Turning his gaze to the ground, Ramirez watched the tiny whirlwinds of dust caper about until he swore he could feel the steady gaze of the red-eyed man, and replied, "I...fell in love with him. ...But it's only one-sided. I have no chance..."  
  
"...There are those where, if they meet a one-sided love, they should let go of it and find a different happiness," Michaol said quietly, utterly unperturbed by the fact that Ramirez had admitted to being in love with a man. "However, for you to feel so strongly that you could awaken me... Would not simply being near him be good enough? Would not simply being able to secure his happiness be good enough to ensure your own?"  
  
"But I—" Ramirez began to argue, lifting his head to glower off into the distance. He cut himself off, however, when he saw a human figure several yards away, obscured by the rolling dust.  
  
Michaol saw his stare and quickly turned to see the same thing Ramirez had—a young woman with long, black hair, the bangs obscuring her face, her silver bangles and intricate, layered robes of jet and azure unperturbed by the air currents.  
  
"That..." Michaol murmured, looking wholly surprised and vaguely disconcerted.  
  
"Who's that?" Ramirez queried, furrowing his brows at the taller man.  
  
"That girl?" the taller swordsman replied, his eyes narrowing. "Judging from her appearance, she seems to be a Dreamseer. I honestly hadn't thought there were any of them left, though..."  
  
As he spoke, the girl stepped backwards, apparently surprised at having been seen, though it was difficult to tell how she could have known since her hair was in the way. A large roll of obsidian dust rolled up, hiding her from view...and when it had passed, she was gone.  
  
The two men stared at the spot where she had been for a few minutes before Michaol turned back to face Ramirez once more.  
  
"As you were saying?" he asked with a nod of encouragement.  
  
Ramirez wanted badly to know what a Dreamseer was and why Michaol seemed so put off by seeing one...but he just shook his head. "I've betrayed Vyse's trust several times over," he muttered. "He only keeps me near him because he can't stand having my suicide on his conscience. How can I be happy when I know that's the only reason he tolerates me?" He shut his jade green eyes, clenching his left hand into a fist. "...He once considered me his friend. He tries to be kind to me likely for that reason. But that 'friendship' is no longer so...nor can it ever be so again."  
  
"Is that because Vyse has rejected you, or because you have rejected him?" Michaol questioned softly.  
  
The Silvite paused, and thought over the matter. It might be true what Michaol had said, but... He shook his head. "...It doesn't matter," Ramirez said, "I cannot be forgiven."  
  
"You may find that Vyse holds a different opinion from you." The black-cloaked man shut his eyes. "Let me help you, Ramirez. I still believe that you can wield Ilazki properly. Your hardships will not end here, but you can grow strong enough to rise above them. However...you have to want to exert this effort. It is easy to say 'I cannot be forgiven'...far more so than to work towards redemption."  
  
The dust swirls picked up then, and very deliberately, they began a spiral path around the two men, a movement that did not go unnoticed.  
  
Watching the dust as it danced around them, Ramirez, allowing his attention to the conversation be broken by the odd phenomenon, breathed, "What...? What is this?"  
  
"I...am not sure," Michaol replied, peering at it, his eyes following its path. "But...if you are dying, as you said...this may be an earmark of that..." Turning to the Silvite, the cloaked man said urgently, "Ramirez. What do you want to do?"  
  
The silver-haired man looked back at him and shook his head. "I...don't know..." he said, knowing full well that was not a proper answer to the question.   
  
"Do you want to live? Or do you want to die?" Michaol persisted, taking a step forward as the winds sped up. "If you don't make a decision, one will shortly be made for you!"  
  
Torn between giving in to his true desire to die, though he knew it was selfish, or returning to a life that would only continue to bring him pain, Ramirez could only shake his head and repeat once more, "I don't know!"  
  
"Let me ask this, then," the taller man said, the currents, whipping his dark bangs across his handsome face. "How badly do you want to be with Vyse?"  
  
"I don't know!" the Silvite repeated once again, shutting his eyes tightly.  
  
"Shall I make that decision for you, then?" Michaol inquired, his voice raised to be heard over the growing howl of the wind.  
  
"I don't care anymore!" Ramirez shouted back, the strands of his hair cast aflutter by the gale.  
  
"You should care! Your life is more important than you realize!" Michaol stated sharply, his cape billowing, in spite of how it was made of heavy leather. "Fine! Then live! Both Ilazki and I have chosen you! I cannot force you to do anything you do not wish, but I also cannot allow you to die so soon!"  
  
Wide-eyed, Ramirez gaped at him, but did not protest the decision. "I..." he started to say, but shook his head and started again, now having to shout to be heard over the roar, "...I accept your decision!"  
  
Michaol smiled grimly at him, and called, "This is not a time to waver!" The statement hardly made sense to the Silvite, since he had just said that he would submit to the red-eyed man's choice, but he had no time to ponder the deeper meaning of the statement before Michaol concentrated, a brilliant white battle aura emanating from him, blocking off the wind from closing in too close. "Awaken!" he snarled, his words barely audible. "_Ramirez!!_"  
  
White, gray and black mixed and swirled together in a violent tornado, and the sound was enough to make the Silvite swordsman's ears bleed, and it looked as if they would both be crushed—  
  
_And then he woke up.  
  
  
"Don't talk to me about something as pretentious as saving the world," he replied at length. "Not when I can't even make a simple decision for myself..."  
  
Blinking away tears, Fina whispered, "Ramirez..." She bowed her head. "_Do_ you hate the Elders?"  
  
/_Well, what is the point in lying?_/ "Yes."  
  
"Why?" the younger Silvite murmured.  
  
"It's not something that you would understand," he muttered, his eyebrows furrowing.  
  
She glanced up at him almost fearfully. "Do you hate _me_?"  
  
Ramirez glanced back behind his shoulder partially. "I just listed one of the reasons why." He glowered back down at the floor, ignoring the stung hurt on her face. "It doesn't matter anyway. You hate me for being me. I hate you for being you. I'd say we're even."  
  
"I don't hate you for being you!" Fina protested, trying to move around to Ramirez's front to look him in the face; he simply moved with her to avoid her gaze, however. "I don't hate you at all! Ramirez, please!!" she cried in frustration, grabbing his arm. "I was angry before, but...but now, I just want to understand!"  
  
He pushed her away roughly and took three long strides away, further down the hall; they had turned 360 degrees in their small game of pursuit and avoidance. "Is nostalgia getting the better of you, Fina?" he asked quietly, icily. "Do you still think of me as your sweet, kind-hearted 'older brother'? The one who would take the blame for you whenever you did something that might have merited punishment? The one who was always talking earnestly about wanting to sail the vast oceans of the world?  
  
"That Ramirez is already dead. He was murdered a long time ago," he continued frigidly. "And he will never return. Fina, your childhood friend is gone. Accept it!"  
  
"No! I refuse to believe that," she replied firmly, gazing resolutely at his back. "If the Ramirez I knew were truly deceased, would you have fallen in love with Vyse? Would you have risked your own life in order to save his?"  
  
"What do you understand of how I feel about Vyse?!" the Silvite swordsman demanded, finally twirling around to glare at her, teeth gritted. "And why do you bring it up, anyway? You think it's disgusting," he added bitterly.  
  
She guiltily averted her eyes. "That's...I thought about it," she murmured. "And I realized that the Elders...had been wrong about the people of this world...how none of them can be trusted, how they all burn to death in the flames that they themselves had set...and if they had been mistaken about that, then perhaps...they could be mistaken about this, too..."  
  
"You aren't even upset that I've become your rival?" he queried, scowling.  
  
"Wh, what?" she stammered, staring at him wide-eyed, cheeks turning pink. "I...I don't know what you're..."  
  
"Not like it makes a difference," Ramirez cut her off, crossing his arms and staring resolutely at the wall. "Is this all you came to talk to me about?"  
  
"No. Ramirez, I..." She took a step forward, trying to touch his forearm gently, but he shrugged off her touch, and she bowed her head. "I wanted to do two things... The first was to apologize for...saying the things I had when you revealed that you were in love with Vyse."  
  
"You have a funny way of apologizing," he muttered. "Again, not that it makes a difference. And the second thing you wanted to say?"  
  
"I wanted..." she began, looking up at him. "I wanted to make sure you really hated me—and if you did, why..." She lowered her chin, her eyes shut, and said, "You've done a lot of things I don't like or approve of... But I still care about you. I realized that when Mr. Ilchymis and I were trying so desperately to make sure you didn't die. You've been cruel to me simply so you could laugh while I cried, and your behavior is erratic, heartless, spiteful and sadistic... But I can't let go that easily of our friendship." She lifted her chin to gaze squarely at him and continued, "Hahaue cared about both of us so much! She sang to both of us, she did her best to raise us even though we couldn't spend much time with her because of her illness... Even though you say the old you is dead, I don't want to believe that. If there's some chance of reviving the days when you used to smile so wholeheartedly, even if it's only a one percent chance...I want to try for it." Fina averted her eyes. "And so, I want to know why you hate me...so I can try to understand, and fix what went wrong."  
  
He smirked mirthlessly. "You've been hanging around Vyse for too long... That sounds exactly like something he'd say." The former Admiral turned to the side, arms crossed, eyes sullenly fixed on the floor. "You want to know why I hate you? Fine. It's precisely that attitude that makes me hate you." Shutting his eyes, he said coldly, "You seem to be under some kind of impression that we are equals...that because you have been raised sheltered and coddled, that I was as well, and that things thus are completely the same between us.  
  
"You're utterly mistaken!" he declared, glaring venomously at her. "We have never been equal. The fact that the Elders sent you down here without ever telling you the truth of our race is proof of that! You've always been coddled and doted upon, while I was regarded coldly and forced simply to do as I was told. That's why I despise how you stand before me and say you want to regain my smile..." On the verge of snarling, he declared, "Never even realizing the magnitude of your hubris!!"  
  
"...You're jealous," Fina whispered, eyes wide, hands clutched tightly in front of her chest, shaking her head slowly and incredulously.  
  
"Excuse me?" he demanded frigidly.  
  
"You're jealous of me," she repeated, staring at him.  
  
He shook his head in disbelief, and replied vehemently, "No! I'm not jealous of _you_. Why would I want to be as ignorant of reality as you are?"  
  
"You're jealous because I'm happy and you're not!" she said sadly. "Because you think I was treated better than you... That the Elders liked me better than you..."  
  
"No!" he all but screamed at her, "I would never be jealous of an ignorant child like you!!" Near trembling with rage, Ramirez took a deep breath, trying to calm himself before his emotions overran him once again. He restated, the words still dripping with pure hatred, "Why... why would I ever be jealous of _you_..."  
  
Trying her best to reign in her tears, Fina mumbled almost indistinctly, "...closer to Vyse than you..."  
  
Ramirez visibly flinched. That was true, especially with the barriers now between them... but wait... did she mean something deeper by that? Were she and Vyse...?  
  
/_No no no no NO,_/ he denied violently, thrusting the image aside. Despite not believing the young Rogue's overtures of love, the idea of Vyse and Fina together made him feel sick, and more disturbingly, he couldn't quite name the reason why. /_He wouldn't. It wouldn't happen. It's not possible..._/  
  
Fina sniffled and wiped at her eyes; she knew she had gone too far, and although Ramirez probably deserved it, she felt terrible for bringing it up.  
  
/_Eight years ago..._/ she thought to herself, feeling miserable. /_It was eight years ago when you left me..._/  
  
In sudden recollection of what day it was, her verdure eyes widened, and she shook her head slightly and took a step backwards.  
  
"...There's just one last thing I have to say," she murmured. The Silvite girl hesitated, then forced out, "...Happy birthday, Ramirez."  
  
And with that, she turned on her heel and fled for the stairs, climbing up them and disappearing from sight without ever looking back.  
  
He stared after her for a moment, before managing to compose himself again. The lunar cycle was in the Shade of the Red Moon now, wasn't it, and had been for a while... He wasn't sure of the day, but it probably _was_ the seventeenth... He had forgotten. It wasn't that surprising; he had never really viewed the day of his birth as something worth celebrating. Not for seven years, at least... Remembering it now wholly depressed him, though, and after his argument with the girl who had once been his best friend, he had no will or energy to face anyone else. Pulling the door to his room open, he trudged back inside, wanting only to forget everything.  
  
His former friend had done likewise, also heading back to her room. Once the door behind her was shut, Fina collapsed on her bed, the sobs that had been withheld finally coming forth.  
  
"Kyu?" Cupil squeaked worriedly, unwrapping itself from its bracelet form to form in front of its mistress.  
  
"Oh, Cupil," she choked out, hugging the round, silver creature to her chest. "At least you'll never leave me..."  
  
She sat like that for a long time, or at least it seemed as such to her, before calming down enough to calm her sobbing into sniffling and sharp breaths. As Cupil hovered above her, she ran over the argument she had just had in my mind. Why couldn't they talk without fighting anymore? Could eight years really change someone so much?  
  
/_Apparently so,_/ she thought glumly, remembering how vicious Ramirez had been when he had told her he hated her. There had never been a day up on the Great Silver Shrine that had passed without her thinking of him; she had missed him so badly, and been so worried about him after the Elders lost contact with him...  
  
The Elders. According to Ramirez, they had been lying to her for her entire life... But could she believe him? He was so spiteful towards her; it would be easy for him to lie just to hurt her... Somehow, though, she had a gut feeling that he hadn't, and it frightened her. It reminded her of the nightmare she'd had the night he had almost died...  
  
_She had been kept isolated in her room for as long as she could remember. The Elders forbade her from leaving or exerting herself too much, as she was too delicate.  
  
And so she was, for her body was made of nothing but finely spun, opaque silver glass.  
  
She was ever so beautiful—she knew because the Elders had always told her so, praising her as a sparkling jewel. Everyone loved her, and gave her anything she wanted, delivered directly to her room, because such a precious gem couldn't be allowed to somehow crack or break. It was lonely sometimes, but everyone came to her and loved her, especially Ramirez, so she could keep on smiling, which made the Elders happy, which in turn made her happy.  
  
One day, Ramirez had stopped by to tell her he was going away for a long time and that he didn't know when he would come back again. She had been sad, and wanted to go with him, but the Elders told her if she left her room, she would break. And so Ramirez had gone away while she remained alone in her room, but at least here she would not break.  
  
She was devastatingly lonely, but she kept a picture of him in her heart while she was tended to meticulously, her shimmering form admired, her room kept sparkling and free of dust. The years passed, and her form morphed and changed, always beautiful, but maturing into the body of a lovely young woman. Fina always remembered her beloved friend and waited for him in her lonely room, taking meticulous care never to crack even the slightest bit. As she grew older, her memories grew fonder, until her image of Ramirez was one of a girl blossoming into adolescence in love.  
  
And then one day, he returned from his long journey.  
  
But the image she kept of him no longer matched the man he had become.  
  
"Fina," he declared when he saw her again. Years ago, he would say her name with such tender warmth and affection, smiling at her as if she were his entire world. Now he spoke it coldly, with disgust bordering on malice, and a scowl.  
  
"...Ramirez?" she whispered, taken aback. She stepped away from him, her lovely glass body curving as she moved.  
  
His mundane body of flesh and blood stepped forward. "It has been a long time," he said, still coldly, his once gentle green eyes now cruel and unfeeling.  
  
"...I missed you," she said quietly, terrified by his metamorphosis, and hoping desperately that he would suddenly change and say it was all a joke.  
  
He smiled. It was not a friendly smile. Fina took another step backward. "You missed me?" he said. "How...amusing. I suppose you were tired of just the Elders doting upon you? You wanted a handsome older brother to fawn over you? You're disgusting."  
  
"No!" she cried in protest, then tried to explain, "I really missed you! I... I love you!"  
  
He laughed scornfully, and hearing it made Fina shudder. She stopped herself as soon as she could, for the waves would make her body rupture, she knew. She had to always be at peace, so the Elders told her—she was too fragile to be presented with anything upsetting.  
  
"Love me?" he repeated, his tone deadly. "You pathetic fool. How dare you say such a thing to me when you're content to live here in absolute ignorance, allowing everyone around you to dote on you?"  
  
"No—" she began to protest again, but before she could begin, Ramirez threw something in her face.  
  
It was dirt.  
  
"That's from the outside world," he said maliciously as she doubled over, trying to rub the stuff away—it had gotten in her eyes and nose. "Where I have been these past several years. You say you love me? I'm covered in that! If you truly love me, you can easily deal with just a small portion of it!"  
  
Her face and nose itched, and she struggled not to shake in fear. If she sneezed, that violent action would certainly cause her to shatter...  
  
"You can't take it, can you?" he demanded, now smiling in vindictive glee. "I'll tell you something interesting before you go—about the Elders..."  
  
His lips moved to form his words perfectly, and what he revealed made Fina let out a strangled gasp.  
  
And, with her guard down, a second later, she inhaled and sneezed.  
  
Her body from the torso up promptly exploded in a rain of tiny shards of glass, larger chunks dropping to the floor and cracking into dust. Her bottom half froze into a broken statue while her remains showered down.  
  
And Ramirez laughed.  
  
And laughed.  
  
And laughed.  
  
And laughed.  
  
_Fina shuddered at the memory of the dream. Yet she couldn't help but draw comparisons from that dream and the conversation that had just transpired.  
  
There came a knock at her door, and she jumped, causing Cupil to make a noise like a high-pitched hiccup and somersault in mid-air.  
  
"Yes?" she called in a voice higher than usual, and she quickly wiped away her tears.  
  
"Fina, are you okay?" Aika's concerned voice sounded from the other side of the door. "A few people told Vyse and me that they heard you crying in here..."  
  
"Is it all right if we come in?" Vyse's voice, equally worried, added.  
  
Fina sat up and wiped at her eyes once more before replying, "Yes, it's okay."  
  
The door opened, and her two first friends entered one after the other, Vyse shutting the door behind him. Aika quickly crossed the room to sit down on Fina's bed next to her, and Vyse took the side still empty.  
  
"What's wrong?" the redhead queried, her orange eyebrows furrowed. "You were definitely crying. What happened?"  
  
"I..." Fina paused, momentarily uncertain in what she should say and how she should say it. "...I had a talk with Ramirez."  
  
"And he made you _cry_?!" Aika demanded, getting to her feet in outrage.  
  
Her childhood friend stretched out a hand to silence her, though, and queried seriously, "What did you two talk about, Fina?"  
  
"I wanted to apologize for being cruel to him, before, and...I wanted to ask him a few things..." she explained, gazing down at her lap, "...but, no matter what I said, he still hates me." She paused before speaking of the one thing that provoked such a violent reaction from her old friend, saying, "...He's...he's jealous! I think... no... that must be it! Everything he's endured, he's angry because I haven't suffered, too!"  
  
"Jealous?" Vyse repeated, astounded. "You think so?"  
  
"Hmph! It makes sense!" Aika commented, crossing her arms as she leaned back, an eyebrow raised. "He is the bitter type." Uncrossing her arms and leaning forward earnestly, she continued, waving her arms to punctuate her points, "But Fina, it's not your fault that he got screwed up in the head. If he could've not met up with the Armada when he first came down here, that would've been great...but he didn't, and you can't help that. He's lashing out at you because you're an easy target."  
  
"If you want, I'll talk to him," Vyse added. "I don't know what he said, but if it was bad enough to make you cry, then he really needs to be put in his place."  
  
"Thattaboy!" Aika grinned, leaning back, her hands on her hips. "About time you stopped coddling that jerk, Vyse!"  
  
The captain of the Delphinus grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess I have been too soft on him..." he said. She was right, he conceded to himself. Ramirez had seemed so depressed, and then there were his own feelings for the former Admiral thrown in... Altogether, it was very complicated. But if the Silvite thought he could get away with being rude... Well, that was something else entirely.  
  
He stood. "Well, I'll take care of that right now, okay, Fina?" the brunet smiled warmly to his white-robed friend before glancing over to his other friend. "Aika, you stay here and comfort Fina, okay?"  
  
"Like you need to tell me!" the pigtailed girl winked before sitting back down next to Fina.  
  
Vyse grinned and winked to both girls before heading for the door and leaving. When he had gone, the redhead placed a hand on her companion's shoulder.  
  
"...Thank you, Aika," the blonde woman said softly.  
  
"Hey, we're friends," Aika smiled comfortingly, then faltered. "Except I'm not like Ramirez. I'm not going to turn my back on you." She winked and laughed, "And neither are any of the rest of us! That's what it means to be a Blue Rogue!"  
  
Fina nodded, then paused, looking thoughtful. "Aika..." she said, thinking back once again to the nightmare she had had, "...This might sound strange, but... do you think dreams mean anything?"  
  
"Huh?" the redhead uttered, blinking. "What do you mean?"  
  
"If you have a dream, I mean. When you sleep," Fina attempted to clarify.  
  
"No, no, I know what you mean, but...what brings this up?" Aika queried, eyebrow raised.  
  
"Well... I was just thinking about a bad dream I had, and..." Fina said, gazing down at her lap again.  
  
"Hey, are you talking about the night after Galcian attacked?" her companion interrogated, understanding beginning to dawn on her. "That night when nearly all of us had nightmares... You mean then?" When Fina nodded, she glanced down at her own lap, over which she folded her hands, and murmured, "Hmmm... I dunno. I hope not... The dream I had was really nasty..."  
  
Fina nodded again, this time sadly. "Mine was...pretty bad, too..."  
  
"What was it about?" Aika asked, glancing at her friend.  
  
Fina glanced up at Aika. "I..." she began, then paused. "I'm not sure I really want to talk about it," she finished.  
  
The boomerang-slinging girl smiled in understanding. "I really know how you feel, she sighed, glancing up at the ceiling, thinking about her own dream...  
  
  
_She entered her house, and slammed the door behind her. Sometimes Vyse made her so mad! "That stupid jerk!" she huffed, infuriated. A joke was a joke, but dumping a bunch of worms in her hair was going too far! "I'll get him back for this!"  
  
Taking her hair out of its usual braided state, she continued to fume. She had already gotten the worms out, but she'd have to wash her hair to get rid of the dirt.  
  
"Mom! Dad!" she called, finally looking forward at the table that lied just before the door. She didn't see them there, so she took a few steps forward and glanced around the corner at the stairs that would lead up to her bedroom and her parents' bedroom. "Where are you? I need some towels and water! Vyse, you know what he did? He put worms in my hair! Moom! Daad?!"  
  
Grumbling at the lack of an answer, she huffed upstairs. It was when she reached the top of the stairs that she noticed it—a very odd smell. It was a sweet smell, but it nearly made her gag at the same time.  
  
Panic rose unbidden in her, and she called again, "Mom? Dad!?"  
  
There was, like before, no reply, and she ran forward to the door that led to her parents' bedroom and shoved it wide open.  
  
She immediately staggered back, her eyes watering, forcing herself not to throw up or faint.  
  
Her parents were lying on their bed...rotting, as if they had been dead for months.  
  
She tried to scream, but it lodged in her throat, and then, willing herself to move, to run, to do something, she ran down the stairs. She had to get help—Vyse, Captain Dyne, someone! Finally reaching the door, she turned the knob...  
  
Or, rather, tried to. The door was locked.  
  
"No! No!!" she managed to choke out, her less important troubles forgotten, throttling the knob, then running her shoulder into the door. "Open! Please! Open!!"  
  
The door, made to be sturdy, did not budge.  
  
"PLEASE!!" she begged, trying her best not to go into hysterics, but there was still no change. Being practical, she tried for a window next, but they, too, were locked.  
  
A soft _whump_ behind her grabbed her attention, and turning her head, she was horrified to see the corpses of her parents shambling down the stairwell.  
  
She screamed, and backing away to the door, tried fruitlessly to once again use that exit.  
  
"Please... no... stay away..." she croaked, shaking her head in denial of the reality of the situation.   
  
Wordlessly, the walking dead swayed back and forth, heading towards their daughter as if somehow drawn to her, the creature that had once been the mother of the family raising an arm to reach for her.  
  
Aika screamed again hysterically, and looking back and forth frantically, she spied the chairs around the table, darted over to it, grabbed one, and raised it protectively between herself and the things that had once been her flesh and blood.  
  
"Don't come any closer!!" she shrieked, her voice an octave higher than normal.  
  
Her mother, or, more accurately, the thing that had been her mother, swatted the chair from Aika's hands with inhuman ease.  
  
As the girl stared in horror at the splinters of wood left in her hands, the two undead things closed in on her...and, their still intact teeth bared, sank their mandibles into her young flesh. She screamed in agony, and tried vainly to push them away.  
  
"Mom...! Dad...! It's me!" she screamed in desperation. "It's your daughter! Please... please... stop!!"  
  
They ignored her, and the being that was once her father knocked her arm away with fearsome strength, snapping the bone to splinters, and tore away skin, noisily devouring it. Aika screamed again, but it was no use; her once-mother did the same, and they both came back for more, forcing her to the floor with her combined weight.  
  
"Please—please, someone help me—" Aika sobbed, reaching vainly again for the doorknob. Desperate, she clawed at the door with her remaining arm, still screaming for help, but it was no use; no one answered her pleas, and her parents only continued to munch noisily on her flesh. "Please..." she whispered again, her voice hoarse, "please, please, no... Let me wake up, let this all be a bad dream..."  
  
As her eyes began to lose focus, she despairingly brushed her fingers against the door one last time, knowing that even if it opened, it was far too late for her.  
  
And slowly, with a creak of hinges that need a good oiling, the gateway to freedom creaked open, the light of the Silver Moon spilling in just before her eyes could no longer register it.  
  
_Aika shivered, and not because of the cold of the Capital of Ice. She'd woken up choking on her own tears, she remembered, and all too glad that it _had_ been a nightmare, though not so thrilled at having had it in the first place. She'd been too afraid to go back to sleep to get any more rest for that night. She could only barely remember the faces of her parents; they had died when she had been so young... And her house didn't even have a second floor; where the bottom of the stairs had been, her bed was in reality. Yet somehow, it had all seemed utterly natural and real, and that had been the worst part...  
  
"Yeah," she smiled, the gesture a touch forced. "Yeah, let's not talk about it... Dreams are just dreams, after all! Even bad dreams. They don't have any other meaning. Gilder was right when he said it was just stress over Galcian attacking Crescent Isle." She sighed, not truly believing what she was saying but trying to erase Fina's fear even if she couldn't extinguish her own, and then smiled again and continued, "It's just our bodies getting rid of our stress. We shouldn't worry about it too much—especially since we've still got a long ways to go before everything is over."  
  
"Yes, you must be right, Aika," Fina agreed with a smile that, like the redhead's, was not completely sincere. "It's just stress." She glanced over at Cupil, raising a hand to scratch its belly. As it squeaked contentedly, the Silvite girl continued, "I'm a little nervous about going home tomorrow..."  
  
"It'll be okay," Aika reassured her gently. "We'll go to the Great Silver Shrine, and one way or another, we'll find out the truth about everything. Don't worry; Vyse and I will be with you the whole time. Gilder, too!" she added with a wink and a grin.  
  
Fina smiled back, this time with more feeling, but still added, "And Ramirez."  
  
"Yeah...and Ramirez," Aika nodded, frowning slightly. "Speaking of whom, I wonder how Vyse is doing with him..."  
  
As she spoke, her captain was walking down the corridor between his room and his fellow swordsman's. Once the brunet reached Ramirez's door, he lifted a hand to knock at it, but hesitated. Vyse wanted to be easy on him, but... He took a deep breath and steeled himself. Ramirez had problems, and he wanted to help him, but he couldn't let the former Admiral do or say things that would hurt other people and lower their morale. He _was_ the captain, and everyone, not just the emotionally disturbed Silvite, was his responsibility. He couldn't allow abuse like that to continue.  
  
The young captain rapped twice on the door and called, "Ramirez? I want to talk to you."  
  
His words were greeted with silence, and, a little annoyed, he was about to call out again when the male Silvite opened the door.  
  
"...Yes?" the white-haired man more stated than asked.  
  
"Did you know that Fina was crying?" Vyse frowned. "From what she told me and Aika, it looks like it was because of some things you said to her. I want to talk to you about it. Can I come in?"  
  
Ramirez flicked his gaze to the floor. Of course that was why Vyse was here. Poor little Fina sheds tears and the whole world suddenly revolves around her again... It was no use telling Vyse to go away, though. The young rogue could be incredibly stubborn, and, truth be told, he really didn't have the will to fight him verbally. So Ramirez just stepped aside and said, "...If you wish."  
  
The Blue Rogue walked inside and the former Admiral shut the door behind him, then leaned his back against it, head bowed to avoid the gaze of the pirate who was now glaring at him sternly, fists on his hips.  
  
"Ramirez, I care about you a lot," Vyse began. "But you're not the _only_ one I care about, and I can't stand by when you're being so heartless that you make other people cry. I want an explanation of what happened."  
  
His gaze still averted, the green-eyed swordsman sighed slightly, and said, "She asked me why I hate her. So I told her." It was simple, but it was also truth enough.  
  
Vyse sighed, shaking his head. "I've heard about that before, so I won't ask you about it. But I'd think that maybe you'd be willing to cut Fina a little more slack after she helped to save your life. In any case, I don't know exactly what you said, but if you made her cry, you obviously went too far. I want you to apologize to her. I don't want to force you, but I can't have you wrecking everyone's morale, so if I have to, I _will_ order you, as your captain."  
  
Ramirez visibly flinched, and balled his left hand into a fist. Anything but apologize to...to _her_! But he gave a slight, stiff nod all the same, knowing he neither had reason nor the will to defy Vyse.  
  
The Blue Rogue noticed both motions, and took a step forward to put a hand on the other's shoulder, which stiffened upon being touched. "Look, Ramirez," he began, his demeanor serious. "To tell you the truth, even after you explained it to me, I don't understand why you hate Fina. It's not her fault she was treated differently from you. I see this entirely as an attitude problem on your part. If you make yourself miserable, of course you're going to be miserable!" Grasping Ramirez's other shoulder firmly, frustrated that the Silvite still refused to look at him, he continued, "You keep moping, and you know what? I can't stand it! Even if things that are out of your control happen, you can still keep charge of your life through your attitude!"  
  
With a slight shake of his head, the former Admiral said quietly, "No, you're wrong." He wanted to shrug free from the Blue Rogue's grip, but he was in a bad position to do so. Besides, it was so much easier to just let things happen than to struggle against them. It was pathetic, he well knew, but he didn't care anymore. "It's too late..." he murmured, knowing full well that Vyse would protest to the contrary.  
  
Frustrated, the Air Pirate sighed, and protested, "It's not too late! It's never too late! No matter where you are, no matter what you've lost, it's never too late to start over!" Fighting back the urge to try to literally shake some sense into the Silvite swordsman, he continued, "Saying that it's too late...that's the same as giving up! How can you expect things to change if you don't do anything?!"  
  
"I don't," Ramirez said truthfully. He lifted his head, and looked Vyse in the eyes for the first time before adding, "I've already given up."  
  
"Ramirez..." Vyse whispered, letting go of his shoulders briefly to gaze at him sadly...then returning his hands there to give in to his desire to shake the Silvite back and forth, his frustration boiling over into anger. "Don't—even—JOKE about that!!" the rogue yelled as he did so. "Just STOP IT!! Dammit, Ramirez!" He stopped and let go, upon which Ramirez fall back against the door to stare at him wide-eyed, and the rouge shouted passionately, "I'm in _love_ with you!! Do you have any idea what that means?! There are a lot of people who probably think really badly of me because I keep you around, including in my own crew! But you know what?! I don't care what they think! You're more important to me than opinions people might or might not have! And that's why..." He threw down his hands in anger. "THAT'S why it hurts so much when you say things like that!! You sacrificed so much for me. I'm risking so much for you." Slamming both hands on the door behind Ramirez, an arm on each side of the Silvite's head, Vyse roared, "_Why are you giving up now?!_"  
  
The Silvite continued to stare back at him blankly, stunned by the young captain's outburst. He had never seen Vyse so angry before, even in the early days when he had despised the pirate. There was something inherently wrong about seeing the easy-going young man like this, and it awoke for the first time in days a spark of fear in Ramirez. "Get away from me," he said, not taking his eyes off of Vyse.  
  
"Were you listening to me at all?!" the brunet demanded, a desperate edge coming to his voice as his eyebrows began to point up. "Why are you doing this, Ramirez? If I didn't know better...I'd think you were _trying_ to get me to hate you."  
  
/_It doesn't matter. You'll come to hate me eventually..._/ the Silvite thought to himself morosely. Guilt gnawing at him regardless, he dropped his head forward, his bangs masking his face, and said nothing.  
  
"Ramirez..." Vyse murmured again, furrowing his eyebrows. He shook his head sadly and sighed before sliding his arms down around the ex-Admiral's back and pulling him forward into an unexpected hug. "You idiot..."  
  
As he was pulled into the embrace, the older man made a half-hearted attempt to break free, but ultimately let himself be held.  
  
/_I shouldn't... I shouldn't..._/ he berated himself mentally. /_I'm only setting myself up..._/  
  
"Rami... just... dammit, why..." Vyse mumbled almost incoherently as he held the Silvite as tightly as he could. Ultimately, though, he released the white-haired man and silently stepped back, looking dejected.  
  
Ramirez had been struck by the impulse to hold on when Vyse had begun to pull back, to return the embrace, but it passed nearly as quickly as it had come. He had no right to indulge himself. Instead, he turned away, silent with his guilt and shame.  
  
The young captain watched the green-eyed man for a moment longer before sighing heavily. "Well..." He gathered himself up and stood straight, looking at Ramirez with a determined gaze. "I'll back off, if that's what you really want. But you _will_ apologize to Fina by tomorrow. If you won't respond to kindness, maybe you'll respond to an order."  
  
His gaze still averted, the silver haired swordsman gave a short nod. "Yes."  
  
Vyse bit back a sigh, filled with frustration, but just shook his head. "Excuse me," he said as he reached for the door. Ramirez stepped aside wordlessly, and after the young captain left in silence, frustrated and unhappy, the Silvite shut his eyes, tilted his face upward, and leaned back, his back thudding against the wall next to the door. Utterly uncertain of his feelings, he chose despair as he slowly slid to the floor.  
  
Vyse, in the meantime, walked up the stairs, intending to return to Fina's room, and when he had reached the door and was about to turn the knob, he heard a familiar voice called, "Vyse!"  
  
The young captain turned to see Gilder hailing him, smiling good-naturedly, from the end of the corridor. "I heard that Fina was upset," he continued as he walked down to join the shorter Air Pirate. "You going to see her now?"  
  
"I already talked to her earlier," Vyse explained, turning to his friend. "It seems that Ramirez...said some things that upset her."  
  
"Seems like he's the cause of all our problems lately," Gilder observed.  
  
Vyse glanced away silently, his friend's comment not helping his anxiety concerning the former Admiral. /_He sure seems that way..._/ he thought before looking again to the dirty-blond rogue. /_Hey, I've talked to Gilder about this before..._/ he recalled, his mental tone rising with hope. /_Maybe I can ask some advice from him again._/  
  
So, bearing that in mind, he said, "Hey, Gilder? Speaking of problems...is it okay if I talk to you? In private? There's some things I'd like to talk about that I can't exactly discuss with Aika or Fina..."  
  
"Oh?" the trenchcoat-wearing Air Pirate said, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. "Sure, Vyse. How about we head to the meeting room? It should be empty."  
  
"Yeah, that's perfect," Vyse smiled, though not entirely relieved.  
  
The two made their way to the agreed-upon destination, passing the time with idle chatter, neither of them a fan of silence. They greeted their fellow Blue Rogues on the way with a friendly enough air, but once they reached the intended room and had securely shut the door behind them, their respective manners grew considerably more serious.  
  
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" the older Air Pirate began, walking over to the table and picking a comfortable seat.  
  
Following suit, Vyse shut his eyes as he sat down, pausing in thought of how to begin the discussion. Deciding that the direct route would be best with his direct friend, the captain of the Delphinus took a deep breath, met Gilder's gaze, and said, "Gilder... You know what we talked about last time? Well, I thought about it, and I think I'm bi..."  
  
"Oho! And what brings this up, Vyse?" Gilder said with a slight smirk, already having an idea of what had triggered it.  
  
"Well, I was thinking..." the brunet muttered, blushing slightly and rubbing the back of his neck, "...you know, about how I feel about Ramirez..."  
  
With a slight smirk, the taller man questioned, "Is this going where I think it's going?"  
  
Vyse blushed deeper and inquired back, "...What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, first you tell me you think you're bi, then you tell me you've been thinking about your feelings for Ramirez," Gilder pointed out, smirk widening. "What do you think I mean?"  
  
"Well... er... yes," Vyse mumbled, bowing his head in embarrassment.  
  
"Yes what?" Gilder prompted patiently.  
  
The youth paused, then took another deep breath and composed himself. "I... I've decided that I love him back," he stated, hoping Gilder would take the news as well as he indicated he would.  
  
He did, although he still raised an eyebrow and grimaced. "Ho... Aika and Fina aren't going to be too thrilled to hear that. Have you told Ramirez yet?"  
  
Vyse sighed. "Yeah, I did. He doesn't want me near him."  
  
There was a pause as the older Blue Rogue mentally regarded his companion's statement, a cloud of confusion over his face. "...Wait," he began. "He loves you...and you tell him you love him back...so he doesn't want you near him? I'm having trouble understanding that logic."  
  
"That's why I wanted to talk to you," Vyse admitted. "Since we talked earlier, and I figured you wouldn't be too freaked out..." A touch worried, he added, "You aren't, are you?"  
  
Gilder shrugged nonchalantly. "I told you before that I have gay friends. Plus, to be honest, I saw it coming. I had a feeling ever since you talked to me last time that you'd be coming to me again about this."  
  
Vyse laughed nervously and apologized, "Sorry about burdening you with this kinda thing."  
  
Gilder waved a hand dismissively and replied, "Don't worry about it, Vyse. You're not the first friend who's come to me with romance troubles. So, explain the situation with Ramirez to me."  
  
"Well, I think he thinks I'm just telling him that I love him to make him feel better," the shorter rogue began.  
  
"I can see where he's coming from," the older pirate mused. "He _did_ nearly get himself killed for you, so there's reason for you to feel obliged to him...and it _is_ what he'd want to hear, and you both know that you know it."  
  
"...Yeah, but I'm not lying!" Vyse protested. "I want him to realize that!"  
  
His companion shrugged. "He needs to figure that out on his own. Just be yourself, Vyse. He'll clue in when he sees how honest you are."  
  
The captain of the Delphinus sighed heavily. "Yeah, I got you. Well, thanks anyway."  
  
"That includes not letting stuff like this get you down, Vyse," Gilder added. "If your crew sees you getting depressed—Ramirez included—they'll get discouraged too. Not just about this, but about everything you're trying to do." Showing a quirk of a smile, the gunslinger went on, "You can't have already forgotten my advice to you, eh? About never giving up, no matter what."  
  
The fire of determination audible in his voice, Vyse replied firmly, "I'm not giving up. I can't let anyone down, especially not now. And I know what you're talking about. We might be the only people who are in a position to stop Galcian!"  
  
The red-clad Air Pirate laughed and grinned. "That's the spirit, Vyse! That's what I wanted to hear you say." He clapped the younger rogue on the shoulder and continued, "Hell, if you could beat five Gigas and find five Moon Crystals, break out of Valua's clutches three times, cross the Dark Rift, and sail around the world—just to name a few things!—then dealing with Ramirez should be a snap, right?"  
  
Feeling reassured, Vyse smiled back. "Yeah!" He paused in thought, the smile fading. "...The only problem is, though, he's really unstable, now that I think of it. I really...don't know how he feels or what he wants anymore. That's a lot different from all those times when I could depend on everyone else to help me." He glanced at the floor, his brow creased. "I... I'm not sure if I _can_ depend on him. I want to. It's just..."  
  
"Heh...that's what happens the crazy ones start falling for you..." Gilder smirked, crossing his arms. "You know I've got a crazy person after _me_, except she's not depressed, just a stalker." He grimaced. "Actually, now that I think about it, that reminds me of the nightmare I had after Galcian attacked Crescent Isle..."  
  
"Yeah?" the younger rogue prompted, looking up at his companion.  
  
Gilder frowned slightly. "Well...what the hell, I'll tell you. Only fair, since you came to me to talk about your problems. See, what happened was..."  
  
  
_The azure of the sky was amazing; it was rare to see a blue that clear and brilliant. Gilder deeply appreciated days like this, that seemed so perfect that no matter what you did, the world was on your side—and that was an excellent thing indeed for the handsome thrill-seeker. The wind was in his beige hair and the black sails of the Claudia, his men were also in high spirits, and even Willy was flapping about in a light mood. Dead ahead was a gorgeous island with lush trees and lavish buildings, where Gilder knew a fantastic time was awaiting them.  
  
"It's a damn good day to be alive!" he declared, smirking as he leaned forward, one foot propped up on the bow.  
  
"Rawwwk! Damn good! Damn good! Awwk!" Willy squawked, fluttering onto Gilder's shoulder.  
  
He grinned at the feathered beast and laughed. "You sure got that right!"  
  
The Claudia quickly closed in on the island, and first off was, naturally, Gilder himself. However, there was someone there waiting for him—someone he definitely hadn't been expecting—someone who made a beeline for him as soon as his feet were on solid ground.  
  
"GILDER, MY LOVE!" Clara cried, flinging herself onto him, her arms around his neck—much like a noose, the Blue Rogue couldn't help but think.  
  
"Clara!" the wandering pirate gasped in surprise, pulling her away. "Er...I didn't expect to meet you here!"  
  
She laughed good-naturedly, and latching onto his arm instead, she said, "Oh, darling! You're so silly sometimes! You always meet me here!"  
  
"Uh...I do?" Gilder uttered, blinking.  
  
"Of course! My love, I've been waiting for you so long..." she replied, pulling him up to a nearby house, from which a dim roar could be heard, and opening the door...to be greeted by the source of that cacophany, which was created by a mess of children, all either screaming, running around, creating havoc, or harassing one another. The only thing the eight or so of them had in common was that they were all under the age of twelve, and they all bore a frightening resemblance to himself and Clara.  
  
Ignoring the look of stunned shock on his face, the female Blue Rogue chirped happily, "The children and I have missed you so much!" Turning to the spawn that were threatening to destroy the house from the inside out, she declared enthusiastically, hearts nearly audible in her voice, "Children, everyone, look! Daddy's home!"  
  
"......DADDY?!" Gilder repeated, freezing like a mouse transfixed by a snake, as the herd of children abruptly turned their collective attention to the two adults, and promptly stampeded towards them, screeching joyously.  
  
"DADDY, DADDY, YOU'RE HOME!!" they yelled at various tempos, rates, and pitches, tackling the would-be free-spirited pirate, crawling over him, groping his clothes as if in search of presents. "WHADJA BRING ME?! WHADJA BRING ME?!!"  
  
"Oh, they're so rambunctious!" Clara smiled down at her lover, who was trying unsuccessfully to rise to his feet, then added slyly, "Of course, they get that from _you_, Gilder darling... You've _always_ been so full of energy..."  
  
Her tone making it abundantly clear that she wasn't referring to anything innocent, Gilder managed to at least sit upright and demand, "What are you talking about?!"  
  
"Darling, you kidder!" she laughed. "You know as well as I know that we've been married for the past twelve years and had these eight beautiful children!" Clasping her hands together and holding them to her face, she cooed, "Why, it seems just like yesterday when you swept me off my feet and declared that you couldn't live without me and _had_ to _have_ me..." Blushing, she giggled, "Oh, what am I talking about, right in front of the children!  But don't worry, Gilder love, once we've got a few moments alone, I'll make you feel young and frisky again!"  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO," the child-laden Blue Rogue politely refused her offer before _bursting out of his worst nightmare, back into the waking world.  
  
  
"...and _that's_ why I—Vyse, stop laughing, dammit!!" Gilder snapped, annoyed at the younger rogue pounding a fist on the table, his chest heaving with merriment.  
  
Vyse did his best to reign in his mirth, and after a moment, he was reduced to mere grins and snickers. Gilder, scowling, was not amused, and the captain of the Delphinus at length settled himself down enough to say sheepishly, "Sorry, sorry. But she's a nice person. I don't understand why you're so afraid of her!"  
  
The shades-wearing pirate made a face of disgust. "She comes on too strong! She's all right when she's not hanging on my arm, trying to drag me into a marriage hall. I'll settle down when I'm ready for it, and not a damn moment sooner!"  
  
The brunet grinned and winked. "Maybe you should just tell her that!"  
  
Gilder simply rolled his eyes. "Anyway, we've got a lot to do tomorrow, so we'd better get what we can done now. Oh yeah, and that reminds me..."  
  
"Yeah?" Vyse smiled.  
  
"Back on Crescent Isle, we agreed to leave Ramirez on the Great Silver Shrine," the older rogue reminded the young captain. "What are we doing instead, now that you've figured out that you love him?"  
  
Vyse's smile faded away, and he hesitated. "I... I'm not sure. He won't be safe up there, and...he told me he'd rather die than have to go back and stay there..."  
  
"He's sure got a preoccupation with dying..." Gilder commented. "All right. We'll figure it out after we go, all right?"  
  
The brown-eyed Air Pirate nodded. "Uh-huh."  
  
They parted ways, and Vyse, heading upstairs, began to muse on his senior's words. /_...Ramirez... Gilder's advice makes sense. I don't know how to help you, especially since I'm not sure if I can even rely on you, but still, I have to do what I can._/ He glanced up, passing by a set of beautifully set windows, and meandered over to them to lean on the windowsill and gaze outside./_Just try to hang in there. I know things are tough, I really do. I'll be there for you, no matter what. That's the only way I can reach you, after all, isn't it? I have to show you I really mean it when I tell you I care...that I love you. If I can mend your heart, I'll do anything. That's how much you mean to me. As soon as I give up on you, it'll be all over..._/  
  
The brunet smiled to himself./_So I have to persevere, no matter how difficult you make it. If I gave up from just this little bit, how could I convince you of how I really feel? Heh..._/ He sighed slightly, leaning his head forward to lean on the glass./_If we could just go back to those days when we were that close...I wouldn't be so blind!_/ He shook his head suddenly, frowning, and chastised himself,/_No, thinking like this is no good. I'll just have to keep trying. At least—at _least_—Ramirez isn't dead. As long as you can still breathe, there's still plenty of chances to start over. At least Ramirez didn't fall to Galcian's blade..._/  
  
The goggle-wearing rogue recalled the horrifying dream and was hard put to suppress a shiver...  
  
  
_Vyse was running at top speed, cutlasses out, down a labyrinth of cold, steel corridors. Left, right, right, left, straight, left, straight, left... He didn't know how he knew the way, but he followed it without question, knowing that time was of the essence, and that if he didn't reach his destination, Ramirez's life would be forfeit—another thing he knew without being strictly conscious of _how_ he knew.  
  
He continued to run, before finally taking a turn that put him face to face with a steel door. Sheathing one blade, he pulled at the handle, but it didn't budge. Frantically, for he knew, somehow, that this was the door he needed to pass through, he sheathed his other cutlass and pulled as hard as he could with both hands. Slowly, the heavy door creaked open, and he quickly slipped through the threshold.   
  
It was dark. He fumbled for a light, but there didn't seem to be one, and so he strode cautiously into the blackness of the room.  
  
Behind him, the door closed with a loud bang, and at that instant, Vyse's legs gave way. He collapsed to the floor, and when he attempted to stand, he was startled to discover that he could not. With an annoyed grimace, he placed one hand in front of his knees, intending to brace himself so he could try again.  
  
Instead, that hand met a pool of some liquid in front of him. The liquid was warm, and Vyse, dread beginning to knot in his chest, brought his hand up to smell the fluid.  
  
That metallic scent could only be blood.  
  
"Ramirez?!" he managed to call, and a light slowly came on to illuminate the Silvite's fallen body, and above it, Galcian, standing with his sword dripping crimson in hand.  
  
The Grand Admiral glanced over at Vyse and smirked. "So you've arrived at last, Air Pirate," he chuckled. "It seems you're a little late... But no matter. I'll show you something interesting..."  
  
"No...!" Vyse screamed, and tried desperately to stand, but his body would not obey, and he cried, "No... Get away from him!"  
  
Galcian was easily heaving Ramirez's corpse up by the neck as the rogue spoke, however, and the Silvite hung limply from his grip, blood pouring from the deep gash on his chest. As Vyse looked on in horror, though, the former Admiral lifted his gaze ever so slightly—and their eyes met.  
  
Ramirez was still alive.  
  
Vyse's heart skipped a beat. If...if he could still save the dying man...  
  
And, gritting his teeth in fierce determination, he tried to stand once more.  
  
His determination was meaningless, however, when nothing happened. It was as if his body had turned to stone, fixed in place, making him unable to as much as look away. All he could do was beg fruitlessly for the Grand Admiral to stop as the butchery began.  
  
The first to go was the Silvite's right arm, then the legs from the knees down, then the legs from the hips down. An eye was crushed, gore bleeding from the socket in a scarlet mockery of tears, and finally the head itself was cut off, the river of life that flowed to it transformed in an instant into a massive, spraying geyser.  
  
Galcian was laughing by the end, while Vyse was trying not to empty the contents of his stomach. "Ramirez was such a wonderful puppet," the Grand Admiral commented leisurely as he let the body drop, its pieces scattered. With a swift slice, the left hand came off, and the Silver Crystal hidden within it appeared, its radiating brightness swallowed up by the darkness as it entered Galcian's hand. "So loyal... All I needed to do was wish it, and he would do anything to make that wish a reality. But then he met you, and you broke him..." He shook his head in mock sorrow. "A pity. A great pity... But at least he serves me well, even after death." He wrapped his fingers around the glittering Crystal, hiding its light further, and smirked. "And his life as a toy has not yet been entirely spent."  
  
Heaving with grief and horror, the young rogue was only able to utter a choked dry of despair, tears flooding down his cheeks.  
  
And despite how horrible the scene was, he couldn't look away. He wasn't altogether sure if it was because he couldn't or because he wouldn't. As it was, despite how Vyse loathed him, the presence of the Grand Admiral and the power he wielded was almost intoxicating...  
  
"Look," Galcian was saying, his voice nearly a purr of glee. "You should know what a high-quality toy Ramirez is. Even if I tear him to pieces—look...I can just reassemble him as I please."  
  
The scene was a blur, but the Blue Rogue could well see Ramirez, his head connected again with his neck, but his eye still missing, and his limbs...reconnected, but...  
  
"Ah, I made a mistake," Galcian laughed, regarding the chains that now attached Ramirez's limbs to his extremities, replacing his knees and elbows with heavy iron links that traveled up into the vermillion gore of his partially re-attached thighs and upper arms. His left hand connected to the stump to where the elbow should have been, the chain so long it reached all the way to Vyse, the hand twitching ever so slightly at his knees. "He didn't reassemble properly... Ah well. This form is quite amusing in its own right, anyway..."  
  
Finally finding his voice, the young captain screamed hoarsely, "STOP IT! Why?! Why are you doing this?! JUST STOP IT!!"  
  
"Why? Because I can," Galcian replied, smirking. "And because no matter what I do, Ramirez will adore me for it. He's already convinced that I'm the savior of this world..." He laughed cruelly. "In some ways, he's still as much the naive fool as he was when I met him. But as long as his skills and talents can be used to further my ambitions—well, I don't mind at all. Besides, once a doll is broken, it can't be fixed. Why not have some last fun with it before you discard it, hmmm?"  
  
These words only served to enrage the young pirate, and his voice still cracking with grief, he managed to say, "No... you're wrong... you... you just can't do that to people...! You're...not human! You're a...a..._monster_!!"  
  
The Grand Admiral shrugged callously, still smirking. "I've been called worse. But you seem so upset by Ramirez's passing on... What's to be sad about? In the end, he's not worth anything beyond what he can offer others—myself in particular. Ah well... Since you seem so attached to him, you can have him. Here."  
  
And with that, he picked Ramirez, still motionless, staring with his remaining eye half-lidded, and tossed the meat doll over in front of Vyse, laughing the entire time.  
  
He tried to reach out for Ramirez and found that he could move, his arms at least. Pulling the Silvite's body into his arms, the young pirate began to weep, shaking with grief. He looked up then with tears staining his cheeks to glare at Galcian with a look of utter hatred, and if it weren't for the fact that he still could not stand, he would have tried to kill him.  
  
Instead, he said, his hatred overcoming his sorrow, "Why...did you do it? Why...did you kill him? ...Why did you kill him?!" He bowed his head, gritting his teeth and hissing, "He looked up to you more than anyone else! It was agony for him, trying to choose between you and me! And you..." He raised his head and his tone and snarled, "You _murdered _him!!!"  
  
"He was tainted," Galcian replied easily, letting the blood drip off of his blade. "It's better to destroy a pet like that than let it suffer. Besides...you're the one who broke him to begin with. If you had never abducted him from the Grand Fortress to begin with, this would have never happened." He smirked. "How like a lowly Air Pirate, trying to pass the blame that rightfully belongs to himself..."  
  
"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Vyse screamed, clutching Ramirez's body protectively. "THAT'S NOT TRUE!!"  
  
But Galcian just laughed and sheathed his massive sword, then turned his back to them both and walked off, disappearing into the pitch, the faint light of the Silver Crystal fading away along with him.  
  
"STOP!!" the enraged rogue cried after him. "You can't...!"  
  
But his cries went unanswered. He gazed downwards at them maimed swordsman in his arms, and his tears started anew.  
  
He had been too late... He hadn't been strong enough...  
  
"...I just...wanted to protect you..." he whispered to the still man.  
  
Ramirez's head stirred slightly then, and Vyse, sensing the motion, stared with bated breath and tear-filled eyes at the silver-haired man in his arms, his remaining green eye rolling up to stare at him, his eyelids still at half mast.  
  
His lips began to move, and Vyse eagerly leaned in to listen.  
  
"What is it?" the young brunet whispered. "What is it, Ramirez?"  
  
"...w...d...a...r...e...y...o...u...s...p...e...a...k...t...h...a...t...w...a...y...t...o...l...o...r...d...g...a...l...c...i...a...n..."  
  
And, having been too intent on catching the former Admiral's every word, Vyse never noticed the chained left hand until it was already gripping his throat, viciously trying to choke the life from him.  
  
"—Wh—why?" he managed to get out, staring helplessly down at Ramirez, who was glaring at him in utter, baleful hatred with his one good eye, blood oozing from the other empty socket down his face, matting onto his hair and staining Vyse's clothes. Frantic, he reached up with one hand, trying to pry the Silvite's hand from his throat, and managed to loosen Ramirez's grip. Sucking in air, Vyse managed to protest, "I was...I was trying to protect you!! Galcian didn't care about you at all! He was laughing when he was cutting you apart!!"  
  
"...i...t...i...s...h...i...s...r...i...g...h...t..." the Silvite uttered slowly, trying to wrap his hand around Vyse's throat once again.  
  
"No! Ramirez, please!! Nobody has the right do turn you into _this_!!" the Blue Rogue pleaded as soon as he made sense of the vocal message, grabbing the chain sprouting from the bone jutting out of Ramirez's left hand and pulling to little avail. "Why?! Are you listening to yourself at all?! Are you listening to _him_ at all?! How can you side with someone who only thinks of you as a tool?! I love you! _I LOVE YOU!!!_" Unable to stop his tears from falling again, he screamed, "How can you kill someone who loves you over someone who said you're no more than a doll?!"  
  
Ramirez only blinked once with his remaining eye and mouthed once more,  
  
"...i...l...i...v...e...o...n...l...y...t...o...s...e...r...v...e...l...o...r...d...g...a...l...c...i...a...n..."  
  
One more desperate tug on the chain pulled the Silvite's hand from his throat, but the fingernails caught on the fabric of his blue jacket, and the hand immediately grabbed onto Vyse's clothes.  
  
Their gazes met again in that instant, Vyse's panicked, Ramirez's crazed...and then the Blue Rogue choked on his own blood, coughing up a haze of red, as the fingers pierced his chest, cracking ribs and flesh out of the way to burrow inside, ripping past a lung to seize his heart, fingernails burrowing inside the cardiac muscle, the iron fetters clanking gently as they now protruded from Vyse's body.  
  
"Rami..." the brunet man managed to gasp in pain and shock as he looked down at Ramirez. He spasmed uncontrollably, blood now running free from the corner of his mouth, as he felt the Silvite's hand close around his frenzied beating heart.  
  
The only thing he could see on Ramirez's face was utter hatred. That hatred warped into a delirious smile, one of a servant finally accomplishing something sure to please his master, and digging his nails in further, the meat doll _wrenched_ his hand back, ripping Vyse's heart in twain, the outer half still clutched like a trophy in the chained extremity.  
  
Vyse gurgled, convulsing horribly, and then he had been _suddenly gasping, sitting straight up in bed.   
  
He had never been so terrified...but it wasn't Ramirez's fault! Galcian... he had warped him, hadn't he? He had cut him to pieces and then...turned him into some kind of sick marionette...  
  
That wasn't the Ramirez he knew!_  
  
  
_Vyse let loose a ragged sigh, recalling how he had tried to work off the trauma of the nightmare by transforming his fear into fury. He had to wonder what the _real_ Ramirez would say if he told him about that night terror...  
  
...But, no. It was better to just keep it to himself. He didn't want to burden him. He would probably take it wrong, anyway... Ramirez, after all, had over-translated a declaration of love to mean nothing but pity.  
  
The Blue Rogue sighed again, leaning against a window and gazing outside down at the sheet of clouds blocking his view of Deep Sky. Things had...gotten very complicated. What was that saying again? Something about the best laid plans...  
  
The brunet lad just smiled wistfully and shook his head. Much as the ex-Admiral was trying to make him regret it, he wouldn't give up that easily. Giving up was something Vyse avoided on principle, and besides, if he let things go this soon, this easily, it would cheapen what both of them felt. That was the last thing he wanted to do.  
  
"But Moons, Ramirez...why can't you listen to me when I try to tell you what you mean to me..." he mumbled before pushing away from the wall, knowing that there was still work to which he had to attend.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
**NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal Arcadia_ [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong.  
  
**Ayu:** At last, Michaol, who got vaguely hinted at last chapter, actually appears. If you want to see what he looks like, check out my deviantART account, ayu-ohseki.deviantart.com; there's also a drawing of Hahaue there.  
  
**Ianthe:** The base ideas for Aika and Fina's dreams are from _Morrowind_. Check out the vampire dreams. Weee.  
**Ayu:** Gilder's dream, on the other hand, isn't based on anything in particular.  
**Ianthe:** Yes, his is completely humorous in nature; this chapter needed a bright moment. And, although I hate how we have to say this, the dream wasn't meant to bash Clara, or children, or whatever. We just think that being married to Clara with eight children _would_ be Gilder's worst nightmare—unless he goes through some major attitude readjustment.  
**Ayu:** Vyse's dream was inspired—the "meat doll" part, anyway—by a Japanese _Yuu*Gi*Ou_ Bakura/Bakura Loveless fansite by the name of Eigou Kaiki (Eternal Recurrence). And speaking of the meat doll, here's Kinzoku's comment on that...  
**Kinzoku:** (*as Galcian*) HAPPY THANKSGIVING. (*carves the Ramirez*)  
**Ayu:** We are sick, evil bastards. :D Be sure to tell us if you get/got nightmares! (*heart mark*)  
  
**Ayu:** This chapter's lyric-title is taken from _Anna ni Issho datta noni_ (_Although We Were Together That Much_), the first ending theme to _Kidou Senshi Gundam SEED_. Full lyrics can be found, as always, at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!_, the link to which you can (indirectly) find below.  
  
**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com**  
Contact Ianthe of d.I:** ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))  
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net))


	20. Chapter 20: Tentai yo, Doushite Kono Yo ...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  
**Chapter 20:** Tentai yo, Doushite Kono Yo ni Watashi ga Iru no  
(_O Heavenly Bodies, Why am I in This World_)

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The moment he had been dreading was fast approaching...but there was little Ramirez could do now but wait for it. He sat at his desk, staring emotionlessly at the wall, his hands folded on his lap, Ilazki lying flat in front of him.  
  
Soon, he would return to that place, where he had been born, where he never wanted to return. He could only imagine how the Elders would react... He had failed in his duties. No, he had always intended to fail them...  
  
Of course, Fina had failed as well, but she wouldn't be punished. She wouldn't be so much as scolded. It wasn't her fault, after all; the loss of the Moon Crystals was due entirely to him. And besides, unlike himself, she hadn't deliberately "failed". Of course, she also didn't know a thing about the truth of her mission. Considering her words yesterday, he truly doubted she would have followed through if she had...  
  
He blinked, an odd thought occurring to him. /_...I was told the truth, and shortly after descending to Arcadia, I deliberately cut contact with the Elders._/ He leaned forward, leaning his elbows on the desk and his chin on his folded hands. /_...The easiest way to prevent a repeat of a possible mission desertion would be to conceal the truth..._/  
  
That, he decided, would be logical...and they had apparently done it. Sighing, Ramirez closed his eyes. He would just have to steel himself; after all, what did they mean to him? He had separated himself from them... Whatever they would have to say wouldn't come as any surprise, anyway. He could hear their berating, though truthful, words now... The young Silvite sighed. Life just seemed to get worse and worse every day for him...  
  
"Not that I have a right to complain," he mumbled to himself, knowing it was his own fault. He shouldn't have gone up against Lord Galcian. He shouldn't have cared about Vyse. He had failed, in more ways than he could list.  
  
He chuckled darkly to himself. /_I'm pathetic..._/  
  
A knock came at the door then. "Come in," the white-haired swordsman called robotically, knowing it would be Vyse.  
  
The door opened to reveal that he had been right. "Ramirez, we're getting ready to go now," he said, taking a step inside. "Will you get prepared and come with me?"  
  
He stood and picked up his sword from the desk, knowing full well he would not need it, but wanting to at least have that faithful blade by his side. He turned, and said, "I am ready."  
  
Vyse nodded, apparently unsurprised that that was all the preparation Ramirez needed. "You're going to apologize to Fina before we go, right?" he added, his tone brooking no argument.  
  
"Yes," the Silvite replied bleakly.  
  
"Let's go, then," he said, turning and walking out, and Ramirez silently followed.  
  
Meeting up with the rest of his friends, Vyse headed up towards the bottom harbor, where Fina's ship had be prepared the previous night.  
  
"Just give me a moment and I'll have it ready," Fina smiled to the others, trying to hide her anxiety, before heading to the ship.  
  
"Go help her," Vyse prompted Ramirez softly as she stepped onto the silver vessel. "You used to have one of those ships too, right?"  
  
He knew his help would be unnecessary, as she'd have it running in a moment, but seeing the prompt for what it was, he grudgingly joined her.  
  
"Ramirez," she said, startled, when he stepped onto the ship with her.  
  
Deciding that now was as good a time as any to do as he had been ordered, the former Admiral said, his tone lacking any true emotion, "Fina. I apologize for my words the other day."  
  
She stared at him for several seconds, the sudden words throwing her off, before she averted her eyes. "Ramirez..." she murmured. "You don't have to force yourself."  
  
"I'm not," he replied, which was true. He never had to force himself to follow a command.  
  
She held her hands to her chest briefly before quickly turning back to the controls wordlessly. As he predicted, before he would have had the time to step up next to her, she had the ship humming softly.  
  
She turned and called to the others, "I've got it running, now!"  
  
The three of them boarded, crowding the already cramped vessel; Fina was at the front before the controls, Aika and Gilder stood across from each other in the middle, and Vyse and Ramirez occupied the rear. The ship soon set off, leaving the dock with a trail of multicolored sparkles behind it, and sailed swiftly through the murk under Glacia.  
  
As the ship rose through the sky, Ramirez gazed silently over the edge, watching the earth below rapidly disappearing.  
  
He tuned out the others' comments, letting the whistle and roar of the wind silence them, and when they reached the edge of Glacia, their altitude rose sharply now that the continent of ice no longer blocked their way. The Great Silver Shrine was probably almost directly north of here...  
  
Rising above even the highest skies, the ship soon exited the very atmosphere of the world, and Vyse gasped as he saw, for the first time, the whole of the world he had been born upon.  
  
"Now, Vyse...you can really see what's beyond the sunset," she called back over her shoulder.  
  
"Wow..." Aika breathed, looking over the side. "Look at how far away everything looks..."  
  
"Amazing view," Gilder agreed in awe, before turning his gaze ahead to a blemish obstructing his view of the Silver Moon. "...Hey, what's that?"  
  
"There's something orbiting the Silver Moon!" Aika gasped, staring at it wide-eyed.  
  
"That's the Great Silver Shrine," Fina said, moving in closer to the object. "...The place where Ramirez and I were born."  
  
"Just a little bit longer before we get to the bottom of everything," Vyse said, gazing at it with determination.  
  
Ramirez said nothing, his half-lidded eyes on the world of Arcadia beneath them, as they had been since the beginning of their flight.  
  
The vessel moved quickly, and before long, they arrived at the Shrine. Those who had been born on Arcadia were disoriented at first by the strange metal island, their home world hanging under their heads, and Fina led the way towards a tall tower at the center, Ramirez following the rest of them silently. The Arcadians looked curiously at the various metals poles they passed, some of which bore screens of blue and yellow light between them, and when Aika brought it up to their guide, she explained that they were actually doors, and beyond them were living quarters.  
  
"_Seriously_?" Aika asked, incredulous. "But they're just poles standing there! How do you get to the rooms?"  
  
"...Actually, I'm not sure myself how they work, beyond that the light screen transports you to a room inside the Great Silver Shrine," Fina replied after some thought. "I never thought to ask about the details. Ramirez might know, though..."  
  
The redhead glanced at the ex-Admiral trailing behind them, who kept his gaze lowered even after hearing a mention of his name, and then shook her head. "Well, if you're fine with not knowing the details, then I guess I don't really _need_ to know them, either."  
  
"Aika..." Vyse murmured, furrowing his brows at his friend, but Aika just turned her brown eyes ahead toward their destination, and they were all silent until they reached the blue pillar at the center of the Shrine, and from there, the inside of a silver circle surrounded by six prongs, and from there again, a twisted walkway that inverted in on itself, switching from silver to black when one flipped from one side to the other, inlaid on both sides with iridescent green patterns like the golden embroidery that decorated Fina's clothes.  
  
"This is the Path of Emptiness," Fina explained when they had begun the journey towards the center of the Shrine, namely, the Chamber of Elders. "It's very easy to lose one's way here, so we'll have to be careful..."  
  
Ramirez didn't bother to listen to his former friend's explanation of the winding pathway; his attention was instead focused on that pathway itself. Silver turning around on black and back again...  
  
/_Where there is light, there is darkness,_/ he thought with sardonic humor of the first special move he had mastered, wondering briefly if Silvites had constructed the Path of Emptiness with that phrase in mind. It made him think, though, of Ilazki, and from there, the nightly apparition of the man whose soul was supposedly bound to it. /_No, it was just a dream,_/ the Silvite swordsman told himself, following the others onto the road. /_I must have lost a great deal of blood that night... That nightmare was just a hallucination of an oxygen-starved brain._/  
  
It was a very sensible explanation but for the fact that it didn't explain whatsoever why he had lost control of his body when fighting against Galcian, but Ramirez was perfectly willing to ignore that part if it meant not accepting that he had been possessed. Even if his control over his life, his emotions, and perhaps his sanity were quickly crumbling, one had to draw the line somewhere—his was his body. He didn't want to accept that there might be times when he couldn't even control his own physical actions...  
  
/_If nothing else, I have free will,_/ he told himself with the fierceness of one petrified by the thought of being nothing more than a puppet. /_They might have been poor choices, but I'm here because of choices _I_ made..._/  
  
He glanced around himself at the glittering white of the Silver Shrine and darkly admitted that he hadn't quite chosen to come _this_ far. /_It's for Vyse's sake..._/ Ramirez mentally sighed, shifting his gaze to the object of his confusion. /_I...chose him._/  
  
The white-haired Silvite tried not to contemplate whether or not he regretted that choice, but even so, the blackness of despair welled up in his heart.  
  
As they group trekked up and down the Path of Emptiness, their shoes clinking noisily on the strangely patterned surface, Vyse kept finding himself glancing back at Ramirez. The Silvite seemed perversely to want to make him give up on him—knowing that the Blue Rogue never gave up, only temporarily withdrew or surrendered until he could find a proper solution.  
  
/_He refuses to let me get through to him,_/ Vyse thought, frustrated. /_I can understand why he'd be hesitant about believing me, but shouldn't he realize I wouldn't say something like 'I love you' lightly?!_/ Holding back a sigh, he examined the area to see which path lead to the center, and advanced forward again, the others behind him. /_I don't like having to treat him like he's an underling—it puts me too close to the role Galcian had in his life... But that's the only way he'll respond. I can't stand it, but he won't listen to me any other way! I'd swear he's doing it on purpose, too—to push me away for good... No. Treating him like a subordinate is no good..._/ Vyse furrowed his brows, gritting his teeth. /_If that's true, then I'm just making him think even more that I didn't mean it when I told him I loved him. I can't let him upset the crew, but it won't solve anything if I start treating him coldly. And if I start acting like I'm _just_ his captain, I won't be able to prove how I feel to him... Heh. It might be easier to fight a Gigas than deal with Ramirez..._/  
  
Flipping from white to black to white and again, and stepping into a column of light that transported the group to a higher area, Vyse and company grew closer and closer with every step to the Chamber of Elders. Filling with determination, the Blue Rogue told himself, /_But these are our _hearts_ we're talking about. I won't be beaten so easily! I'll show you, Ramirez... I'll show you I'm not lying or confused! I'll show you what it means for me to have fallen for you!!_/  
  
Standing in front of a screen of blue light, a yellow glowing orb in the center, Vyse glanced back to his friends and called, "Looks like we've made it... Everyone ready?"  
  
They nodded with varying levels of enthusiasm, and Fina spoke up, "To enter, just touch the screen of light... It will automatically transport everyone standing in front of it inside."  
  
The brunet rogue obeyed, scraping his fingertips against the odd door, and concentric rings of yellow light throbbed out from the orb before everyone was enveloped and transported to the center of a large, dark room in a shower of bright sparkles.  
  
"Fina," an older man's voice resounded through the low-lit chamber as the Arcadians looked around, trying to take in their surroundings; the sound immediately grabbed everyone's attention, and they stared straight ahead, where Fina was looking, at its source. "Welcome home." A panel appeared high in mid-air where they were watching, and the image of a man appeared on the other side of it—then, the man became three-dimensional, and he looked down at the group. "A pity we could not greet you under more auspicious terms."  
  
"What do you mean?" Fina queried, knowing the man to be Elder Orbis.  
  
As the Arcadians stared in bewilderment at the Elder, Orbis redirected his gaze to the silver-haired young man at the back of the group. "I see you have also retrieved Ramirez. That is good; there are many things we wish to discuss with him." He sighed, resigned, and continued, "A shame you could not have brought the Crystals with you instead."  
  
"What do you mean?" Fina queried, then paused as she realized something, and asked again, this time more frantically, "Wait...where's Elder Prime?"  
  
"He is dead," Orbis answered smoothly, his words unmarked with sorrow or compassion.  
  
Aika turned to her white-robed friend, who stepped backwards and gasped at the Elder's words, and asked, "Fina? What's going on? Who _is_ that?"  
  
"And in addition to Ramirez, you have collected some island-dwellers..." Orbis noted as if seeing Aika and the others for the first time. "How...amusing."  
  
Four other pale blue panels appeared, and like Elder Orbis, four more elderly men appeared behind them. They, like Orbis, had oversized metal contraptions attached to their backs and shoulders, and wore robes similar in style to Fina's; the distance and the tinted glass didn't allow for the Arcadians to divine much else about their respective appearances.  
  
"Hey..." Gilder commented as they arrived. "Looks like there's a bunch of them."  
  
Ignoring the red-clad pirate's words, Elder Cross, who formed completely first, gazed down at the ex-Admiral and said, "So you have returned...Ramirez."  
  
"We had feared that you had turned against us for many years," Elder Halos commented, "but the circumstances of Elder Prime's death confirmed this for us."  
  
"What happened?" Fina interrupted, though she already had a good idea of what had occurred. "Did...did a man come—"  
  
"Yes," Orbis interrupted her. "A tall, smirking island-dweller appeared earlier this very day, and when Elder Prime demanded why he was here...he introduced himself as the future ruler of the world, and that he already had the other five Crystals, thanks to Ramirez." He paused to glare at the Silvite in question, who still had yet to make a noise, then continued, "He then explained that he reached this place again thanks to Ramirez, and slew Elder Prime, then took the Silver Crystal and left, laughing."  
  
Staring with eyes welling up with tears, Fina whispered, "Elder... Elder Prime is..."  
  
Elder Helos cut her off to say, "Do not worry about Elder Prime. His death means his freedom. He has returned to nothing. However...now that the Moon Crystals are in the possession of that man...there is no hope. The world will crumble before him..."  
  
When Helos trailed off, Elder Stout spoke, addressing the prodigal Silvite. "Ramirez, explain. You were once so loyal to us... Why did you betray us?"  
  
His silver hair trembling slightly as he moved, Ramirez smirked faintly. "...Betray you?" With a bitter laugh, the former Admiral glared at the men who had governed his childhood. "Don't be so high and mighty. Your mission parameters were loathsome to me from the beginning. I never had any intentions of returning to this place with the Crystals to begin with. You must have known that...otherwise you would have never sent Fina down without telling her the truth."  
  
Completely unruffled by the accusations, Orbis demanded, "And you consider this a good enough reason to instead entrust your mission to that island-dweller?"  
  
Ramirez shook his head. "Like you, Lord Galcian finds the world below corrupt and its people disgusting," he began emotionlessly. "However, unlike you, Lord Galcian does not intend to fix things by destroying everything, but by exterminating the weak and leading the strong with an iron fist. I was impressed by him seven years ago, and decided to follow him."  
  
"Your irresponsibility astounds me, Ramirez, as I'm sure it does us all," Elder Orbis stated coldly. There were murmurs of assent among the other Elders, and Orbis shook his head gravely, continuing, "And to think that we believed we could trust you..."  
  
"Wait!!" Fina, who had called out, stepped forward, clutching her hands to her chest. "Elder Orbis, is it true? Ramirez said that the purpose of the collection of the Moon Crystals was to raise the Lost Continent and unleash the Rains of Destruction... He said..." She shut her eyes tightly. "He told me that we Silvites called down the Rains of Destruction on the Old World." Fina opened her eyes to gaze firmly at Orbis, and inquired, "Is that true? Is that what the Crystals are used for?"  
  
The Elder was silent for a moment, his eyes shut in consideration of the query, before he regarded her. "I will not lie to you, young Fina. Yes, it is true."  
  
Though she had begun to suspect that Ramirez had indeed been telling the truth for a while, the shock still slapped the Silvite girl across the face, and she whispered, "No..."  
  
"It is time, I suppose, to tell you everything..." Orbis mused, ignoring her response. "Though it matters little, since the end of the world is nigh. Perhaps this news would be easier to bear if it came from Elder Prime... But he is dead due to Ramirez's treachery."  
  
Blinking back tears as the Elder callously reminded her that the man who had been like a father to her growing up was no more, Fina pleaded, "Please! I need to know the truth!"  
  
"Very well," Orbis acquiesced. "It makes no difference, but since you insist, I shall escort you and your companions to the Hall of Knowledge in Elder Prime's place."  
  
Light began to glow at the feet of Vyse and company, and shimmering sparks flew up to envelope the group, cutting off Aika's wary protests in mid-word. When it had faded away, there were only four Elders left, and Ramirez.  
  
/_So Elder Orbis left me behind,_/ he observed as he glanced up at the remaining Elders, who all looked fit to verbally tear him to shreds. /_Not like it matters. I've no desire to listen to that nauseating propaganda again..._/  
  
Elder Stout was the first to speak once the others were gone. "Ramirez," he said frigidly. "You do not understand what you have done."  
  
"I do understand," Ramirez said sharply, his temper and nerve flaring. "I am no longer the child I was when I left this place. Do not treat me like one!"  
  
"You _are_ a child," Helos stated frigidly. "Your feelings on the matter are irrelevant. All that matters is the mission."  
  
"If the mission matters so much, you should have done it yourself!" the younger Silvite snapped. "Or were you just too lazy?! After all, what were you thinking, sending Fina down without telling her anything?!"  
  
"Hold your tongue, young Ramirez," Helos snapped back. "You reveal your ignorance by your spiteful words! Or have you already forgotten that you volunteered to descend to Arcadia eight years ago?!"  
  
"That was before you told me you intended to destroy the world! You _lied_ to me, and then gave me no choice but to accept the mission!"  
  
"It is through destruction that the slate of the world can be wiped clean," Cross stated. "And from there, a better world can be drawn anew."  
  
"If you wipe it all out, who will rebuild it?" Ramirez demanded coldly.  
  
"_We_ will, of course," Cross stated smoothly.  
  
"There are seven of us left! _Seven_, only one of whom is female," the white-haired Silvite pointed out, his teeth gritted. "I fail to see how such a pitifully low population could hope to rebuild anything."  
  
"There would be more females if it were not for you," Cross stated, his tone glacial. "You know that you murdered your mother, simply by being born."  
  
Ramirez merely glared silently back at the older men, apparently unfazed by that accusation as Stout continued, "And then he reduces our numbers further by allowing homicidal island-dwellers access to this place."  
  
"You have been, all in all, a spectacular waste of time and resources," Halos re-entered the conversation, before the former Admiral had a chance at rejoinder. "If it had been possible, we should have destroyed you in the womb and started over."  
  
The Silvite swordsman furrowed his brows, his hands clenched so tightly they shook, but even his anger didn't prepare him for what he heard next.  
  
"Even your conception was a mistake," Halos went on. "You make such a pretense of intelligence, Ramirez, surely you must know that birthing more males would be of no use to us as far as the continuation of our race is concerned."  
  
The green-eyed young man snapped his head up to stare at the Elders. "What—what do you mean?"  
  
"We prepared so carefully for your mother to be inseminated with a female child," Halos told him. "Yet somehow, we ended up with you, a male..."  
  
Stunned, taking an involuntary step backwards, Ramirez breathed, "I was...supposed to be...a girl?"  
  
"Correct," Helos told him. "At least then we would have some use for you as an incubator after you proved yourself utterly useless in every other regard."  
  
Cross listed, "Abandoning your mission, using your skills for an island-dweller, giving that island-dweller the Crystals, killing your mother before she had a chance to give birth to more children..."  
  
"If any of us were able to use the sword hanging at your hip, we might even go so far as to demand it back," Stout added. "It is of no use to any of us; however, so there is no point... useless things should stay together."  
  
There was nothing Ramirez could say in reply. All he could do was stare blankly back at the Elders, feeling as if his chest would implode. He could only think of his convoluted love for Vyse, and how the Elders would list that as another 'failure'... He didn't care about betraying the old men, but the fact that his birth caused the death of his mother was a poisoned thorn that bothered him still, though he took great pains to pretend, even to himself, that it did not... That she had sacrificed her life for a mistake—  
  
/_And what of that mistake itself?_/ he wondered, dropping his wide-eyed gaze to the floor, his arms hanging, unfeeling, at his sides. /_Was it because I was supposed to have been born female that I love a man...? I had been as good as created; does that mean even my pitiful emotions are predetermined—that I have no true will of my own?_/ His jaw worked as if to let him speak, but Ramirez voiced no words./_Is the only reason I am who I am now because of a miscalculation somewhere in my conception......?_/  
  
Light began to shine again, and if the Elders had anything more to say, it was halted as Fina and the Blue Rogues returned, with Elder Orbis reappearing in his glass-like enclosure.  
  
He spared Ramirez a glance and commented almost off-handedly to his fellow Elders, "I trust you all have finished matters with young Ramirez...?"  
  
"We believe he has been made to understand," replied Stout, sounding satisfied.  
  
"Understand what? What did you tell him?" Fina almost demanded, already pale from the revelations from the Hall of Knowledge.  
  
"Nothing you need concern yourself with," Orbis replied, ignoring the stunned looks on everyone's faces; there was no way he could have not noticed them. "The only truth that concerns you is this, Fina: that, when we sent you on your mission, it was not to stop Valua from using the Gigas... It was to once again call down the Rains of Destruction."  
  
The veiled girl gasped and shuddered, the bluntness of that reality was too much.  
  
Aika, glancing sadly at her friend, murmured, "You used her... That's horrible..."  
  
Vyse, his hands already curled into fists of anger, began to dig his fingernails into his palms out of fury as Orbis continued, "Fina, you witnessed it—what petty, vengeful creatures normal humans are; surrendering to all degrees of hatred and suffering, and even choosing death over peaceful coexistence. Even now, one of those island-dwelling humans will strip the world bare of life in his pursuit of power. It is true that there is nothing that can be done now...no hope for a future...but you must realize that we were not mistaken. Either in being cold to Ramirez for his own sake, or in deceiving you for _your_ own sake... It was all done for the greater good. That it went awry is due to situations beyond our control... Ramirez somehow went astray, and all was ruined."  
  
The named young man buckled and slumped as if he might drop to his knees, drawing the group's attention, Vyse's in particular; as the young Blue Rogue worriedly watched the former Admiral, Ramirez glanced over and stared at the Air Pirate.  
  
Vyse drew a sharp breath, his chest tightening uncomfortably; he had never seen his fellow swordsman look so lost, so vulnerable... It was as if the ex-Admiral, once so proud, was no more than seven years old...  
  
/_What did they say to him?!_/ the young captain wondered in horror as Ramirez quickly averted his gaze, still looking stricken.  
  
"Vyse," Orbis was saying, jerking the brunet pirate back to everything else. "We have seen in your heart that you assisted Fina on her quest. Surely you, after all you have seen, agree with us."  
  
"Who do you think you are?!" Vyse demanded, his rage boiling over at the audacious assumption. "Trying to destroy the world because it doesn't meet your standards, jerking around your own children... And you call that the 'greater good'?!" Pointing accusatorily with his right hand, he declared, "You don't have the right to pass judgment on the people I've known and cared about all my life while sitting here just watching the world move! And you never had the right to toy with Fina and Ramirez's hopes and dreams!!" The enraged rogue clenched his hand into a fist and threw his arm back, and snarled, "I won't forgive you!!"  
  
Unfazed by the brunet's speech, Elder Orbis regarded Fina and said, his tone mollifying, "Fina, you are one of us... You understand..."  
  
She stared at the floor for a few brief seconds, still looking dazed, then pulled herself together and shook her head firmly. "...No," she stated. "I do not understand! Elders, you are all wrong! How can you think like this?!"  
  
"What?!" Orbis gasped as Aika and Vyse turned to their friend joyously. All eyes were on her; even Ramirez had broken out of his reverie to stare at her.  
  
As the former Admiral watched, the pale-haired young lady spread out her arms and began, "Vyse and the others have taught me something... I learned that no matter what happens, you have to be strong. Even if your home is burned to the ground...even if you're facing impossible odds...even if you don't know who to trust...you have to be strong and fight for a better future!"  
  
A strong surge of an emotion he couldn't name swelled in Ramirez's chest. He couldn't believe his ears; Fina, the pampered, coddled girl who never caused or got into trouble, was openly defying the Elders...even going so far as to tell them they were wrong. And her words... He was blown away by the utter conviction with which she spoke them. She _believed_, more than anything else, in what she said...with a faith as powerful as the one he used to hold, but somehow, infinitely more pure. Somehow, seeing her like that, saying such poignant words without hesitation to those who controlled her just as absolutely as they had once controlled him... It stirred something inside of him that he hadn't known was there—reminded of something he never knew he had experienced. That something made him wonder: was it perhaps that faith was true strength—beyond any ability with the sword, any amount of techniques, any acquisition of super-weapons...?  
  
But the something wasn't a part of him. It was as if there was someone else inside him, having an entirely different emotional response. Despite how inspirational the younger Silvite's speech may have been to another, Ramirez's torn emotions—his hatred of himself, his resentment of Fina—led him to a far darker conclusion:  
  
/_If that is the true meaning of 'strength'...and going from there, if she's already this strong...what does anyone need me for...?_/  
  
As Fina continued to speak, the Silvite swordsman took a step back and then turned. He couldn't stand to stay here any longer. He needed privacy... Taking advantage of the distraction his estranged 'sister' served as, Ramirez left the Chamber of Elders without looking back, swaying slightly as he walked.  
  
"I... I believe in what I have learned," the blonde girl had been saying. "As long as the people of the world have strength in their hearts...they will be able to overcome anything. And that's why we can't give up either. Even if Galcian has all of the Crystals, we can't afford to give up! I _refuse_ to give up!! Together, Vyse and everyone and I will find a way to stop him, protect the people of the world, and find a way to bring about a peaceful future—without using the Rains of Destruction!"  
  
"Fina..." Halos murmured.  
  
"Fina... It is hopeless..." Helos began, trying to persuade the girl, but she ignored him, turning to her captain.  
  
"Vyse, we've got to get to Deep Sky again right away!" she said firmly. "Galcian's probably heading there to raise Soltis as we speak. We've got to catch up with him and stop him!"  
  
Pumping an arm back enthusiastically, Vyse declared to his other companions, "All right, everyone, you heard Fina! We've got to stop Galcian." As he gazed at the others, though, he blinked, noticing that he counted one less person than they had entered with. "Huh? Where's Ramirez...?" he uttered, causing the others to look around in confusion for their suddenly missing associate.  
  
"If you are going to leave," Orbis said heavily, grabbing their attention, "take Ramirez with you. He is no longer welcome here."  
  
"Hmph," Vyse frowned at him, then smirked. "Not like we'd leave him here with you people anyway!" He turned to the exit, and, with his friends at his heels, crossed the sheet of light back into the winding path of ebon and silver.  
  
"Why did he leave without us...?" Fina wondered fretfully as they began to make their way back again.  
  
"Somehow, I don't think it's because he wanted to hurry up and head back to settle things with Galcian," Gilder commented grimly. "Whatever the Elders said to him, it looks like it hit him pretty hard below the belt..."  
  
/_Ramirez..._/ Vyse thought, gritting his teeth, trying to catch up with the brief glimpses he managed to make of the white-haired man.  
  
Though he never looked back, the more experienced swordsman seemed to realize he was being followed and adjusted his pace accordingly. By the time the group reached him, he had already shimmered through a door into one of the rooms in the open area of the Shrine, and before anyone could follow in after, the screen of light dulled, then faded away.  
  
"Did—did he just lock us out?" Aika asked her white-clad friend. When she nodded, the redhead fumed, "Oooh, that Ramirez!! We don't have time for this!"  
  
"And leaving him behind is out of the question," Gilder added, his arms crossed. "As the old guys so cheerfully told us."  
  
He and Vyse glanced at each other; they both knew that that wasn't the only reason Ramirez wasn't going to be abandoned.  
  
"Fina," the young captain began, turning to the Silvite, "is there any way to unlock the door from this side?"  
  
She shook her head. "The doors can be forced locked and unlocked," she frowned nervously, "but only the Elders have the access to the controls that can override a single room's locks and so on."  
  
The brunet bit back a groan, rolling his eyes. "No way we're asking them for a favor, either," he murmured. "Isn't there any other way to get in, then?"  
  
Fina hesitated. "Well... We can't enter, but...we can connect with this room from mine or Ramirez's... However..." She stepped forward, gently touching one of the silent poles. "This used to be Hahaue's room," the veiled girl said softly. "Maybe it would be best if we gave Ramirez some privacy for a while. He came here for a reason, I'm sure..."  
  
Vyse shared a glance with his Arcadian companions. "I bet he came here for a reason, too," he told Fina. "And I respect his need for a moment to himself. But...we don't know how long he's going to be in there. You know we can't hang around. Plus..." He turned and slid a hand up the same pole Fina had touched. "I'm worried about him."  
  
This time, it was Gilder and Aika who shared a meaningful glance, and they both understood what the other was thinking at the same moment: Ramirez already had enough stress; it wasn't unimaginable that whatever had transpired in the Chamber of Elders had pushed him one step too far. If he had locked himself in that room by himself, there wouldn't be anyone to stop him if he decided to do something rash...  
  
Fina hadn't noticed, though, and considering his words, she nodded. "I don't know if Ramirez will respond," she said. "I can send a signal to this room, but I can't force it through... Only the Elders can do something like that... But it's worth trying to contact him." Another brief internal struggled, then she nodded. "We'll use Ramirez's room. There are a few things I'd like to show you there anyway."  
  
"Lead the way, then," Vyse smiled, but the friendly expression couldn't hide the anxiety in his brown eyes.  
  
  
  
The lock code was surprisingly easy to remember, even after the passage of eight years. The door of light faded away from behind the former Admiral's, and he leaned back, letting his back hit the cold metal wall. Now that he was finally guaranteed solitude, the memory of what he had just been told returned, overwhelming him. In spite of it, though, he smiled—an action that he thought might shatter him.  
  
"Fina..." he murmured. "When did you get that strong...? Sometime when I wasn't paying attention..." The green-eyed man thought back to her comment the other day—that she was closer to Vyse than he was. It was inescapably true... What she had said reflected the ideals he had taught her—it sounded like something he himself would have said...  
  
With a forced laugh, Ramirez said, his voice strained, "I had come to look down on you as a weakling...but when it counts, I'm the one to lose..."  
  
But he realized that it made sense. He had always been a stranger to Vyse and his circle... Fina, on the other hand, long since become an irreplaceable part of it... And the thought of it pushed home the fact that, either on Arcadia or in the Great Silver Shrine, there was no longer a place for him.  
  
/_I don't belong anywhere,_/ Ramirez told himself, the ache in his chest devastatingly painful. /_I have no place to go... I—I have no purpose... no goal... no meaning..._/ He sank down onto his knees, his eyes wide and trembling. /_My life—no, my existence itself is a poorly played-out farce... I was never meant to have the role I performed... I—I'm no more than an accident..._/ He bowed his head and lifted his hands, staring at his bare palms as if he had never seen them before. /_...What was the point? Why did the Elders let me even be born if I was a mistake? If they didn't want me...why didn't they destroy me in the womb to save my mother's life? I...I'm useless...no, even worse than that, I'm a burden... I've caused trouble for Vyse and for Lord Galcian... I killed my mother... Why am I here?_/

Clenching his hands, eyes, and teeth, the tormented Silvite demanded of himself, /_Why do I exist?! What was the point?! If I had never been born, none of this would have happened! None of this would even be necessary! If I had never been born... If I had never been conceived...everything would be so much better! Everyone would be happier! I..._/  
  
Fighting back tears of despair, Ramirez leaned back and opened his eyes, hunched over miserably.  
  
/_I..._/  
  
Almost without being conscious of it, his gaze slide to the blade that hung at his left side, all but the gleaming hilt obscured by a leather sheath. His deep green eyes widened in revelation, and with surprisingly steady hands, he slowly drew Ilazki out into the open.  
  
"I..." he murmured, "...can't change that I was born. I can't erase what I've done. But I..." Ramirez stood, his gaze still transfixed on his loyal blade. "...I can prevent my mistake from repeating...from continuing," he breathed. "The mistake known as my life..."  
  
He laughed, and even to him, it sounded hollow and almost hysterical. His fear was gone, and in its place was an insane recklessness. "It's what I should do," the ex-Admiral assured himself. "Everything's right. I'm alone... I can have privacy in my last moments...no indignity of dying in a public inn... And unless the Elders unlock the door specially, nobody will get in... There's no one to stop me...not even Vyse..."  
  
But even as Ramirez had Ilazki raised to end everything, he hesitated. It was true that Vyse could not stop him...but Vyse had been so devastated when he had only _almost_ died...and the last time he had attempted suicide, Vyse went so far as to say he forgave him to prevent it... Even if he deserved nothing but death, as he knew he did...what would the consequences be as far as Vyse was concerned...?  
  
Ramirez shook his head wildly. "No," he stated frantically, knowing that those thoughts would corrupt his resolve if he pondered them for too long. "Vyse doesn't love me. Vyse only pities me. Even if he were upset at first, he'd get over it. Vyse doesn't need me. Nobody needs me. Nobody needs me. Nobody needs me. Nobody needs me."  
  
Repeating the three words like a mantra, the Silvite stared in a panic at his weapon, trying to steady his grip and keep the tip from trembling. But even as he tried to brainwash himself, even though he no longer feared oblivion or the unknown beyond, he knew that Vyse—even the mere thought of him—had once again corroded his will.  
  
"NOBODY NEEDS ME!" he screamed, but instead of thrusting the blade deep into his chest, he hurled it at the wall, shuddering at the clang it made as it landed on the table where he used to happily sit with Hahaue and draw or weave or build together. With a strangled cry, Ramirez turned away, clutching at his head, and stepping swiftly to the opposite side of the room, he struck a fist at a panel, smashing several buttons in, then collapsed.  
  
As he sank, the bed built into the wall unfolded down to his left and one of the longer panels to his right slid open. Ramirez didn't regard either for several long moments as he fought to regain control over his ragged breathing, but once he had managed to calm himself down to a reasonable degree, he glanced to his left.  
  
"...heh," he smiled emptily. "Hahaue..." Ramirez stood unsteadily and sat himself down on the clean sheets, turning back to stroke the mat. "...I should die here," he told himself. "Like how you died here... Maybe somehow my spirit can follow yours..."  
  
He laughed a laugh that sounded more like a sob. "...What am I saying? I'm too filthy to go to the pure place where your soul surely sleeps... But even an eternity of walking to nowhere appeals to me right now..."  
  
The young Silvite moved to fix his gaze on the floor...but something caught his eye, and he turned back to peer at the opened panel. There was a small light shining among the buttons, lights, and panels making up the room controls. Morbidly curious, since, as there was nobody living in this room, there shouldn't be any lights on as the controls would be set to default, Ramirez stood and went to inspect it. The light, he found, was the one next to the playback panel for audiovisual recordings... The white-haired young man glanced at the communication screen, which was not fixed on anything in particular, then returned his attention to the panel. He didn't need to push the eject button to see if a recording sphere was inside...the light already told him one was there.  
  
"Hahaue..." he murmured to himself, thoughts of death and the afterlife haunting his mind. A final message, perhaps? The Elders may not have cleaned out her room as thoroughly as they had thought... Or perhaps the light was broken, or a regular sphere, long forgotten.  
  
"If I'm dead, it won't matter anymore," Ramirez mumbled, and he believed it. But even so, he pressed the play button, and let the communication screen blank out as it switched to the recording feed.  
  
He sat back on Hahaue's bed and watched listlessly, deciding that he would observe for a few minutes to satisfy his macabre curiosity, then steel himself for what he knew he had to do, regardless of Vyse's feelings. There were several seconds of silent, black screen...  
  
...then abruptly the image of a young Silvite woman around Fina's age appeared, smiling wholeheartedly, and Ramirez sat up as straight as if he had been struck by an Electres spell.  
  
"Hello!" she said warmly. "To all the Silvites of the future—how are you? Are you well? Even though we are only communicating across time, I am glad you have discovered this sphere. How far apart are we, I wonder? Ten years? Twenty? Fifty? More than a hundred?" Leaning in, her eyes, which were a very familiar dark shade of green, sparkling in delight, she continued, "If you are far in the future, I wonder if you have borne witness to the world below us again! In ancient legend, as you probably know, Arcadia was the name of an eternal paradise..." Grinning and moving back, she continued, "I want to see the day when we return there, but if I cannot, perhaps I can satisfy myself with leaving a message of this time to those who have!"  
  
"I...you..." Ramirez croaked as he stood, unable to remove his eyes from the image of the vivacious, white-haired girl.  
  
"My name is Alita," she introduced herself. "And recording this is Elsa. Record yourself too!" Alita reprimanded her companion after a short pause.  
  
"What? No, no, you were the one who was going to..." a different girl's voice protested, but Alita had already reached out and grabbed the sphere, and turned it around to show a seventeen-year-old version of Hahaue, who looked none too abashed.  
  
"Umm... Well..." the younger Hahaue stammered, smiling as she blushed. "I am Elsa... Oh, Alita, give that back to me!"  
  
There was laughter as the sphere again traded hands, Elsa complaining hotly, "This was your idea! I still do not know if I wish to do anything more than record..."  
  
Alita was still laughing, but without malice. She grinned mischievously, and replied, "It would be terrible if nobody ever saw all who participated in the creation of these messages! If you decide later to only record, at least our descendents will have at least seen you once. That is all I request for now, Elsa."  
  
Ramirez's jaw worked silently, but he couldn't voice what he thought. This girl was with Hahaue—or rather, Elsa—and had ivory-colored hair and verdure green eyes like his...her face wasn't as sharply defined as his, and her nose was shorter, but her complexion was just as pale as his, and they had the same slender chin and cheekbones...  
  
Finally, stumbling forward, his neck craned to keep his eyes on her, he managed to whisper the identity of the girl on the screen:  
  
"...Mother..."  
  
  
  
Vyse and Aika had known that Ramirez had been much like the brunet Air Pirate in his youth because of Fina's comments when the Silvite swordsman first spent a night with them, but still it was a surprise entering the octagonal room and seeing books, maps, and wooden models hither and thither. Even his bed, a curious thing that built directly into the wall, had a model ship and an assortment of books carefully set up on top of it.  
  
"Wow," the redhead commented as she picked up the model, tilting it to all sorts of angles. "Take a look at this, Vyse."  
  
"Wow is right," he said, already standing next to her, watching the excellently-crafted miniature ship on display. "Did Ramirez really make this?"  
  
"Yes," Fina nodded, a bittersweet, nostalgic smile on her lips; "he made it a long time ago. He's very artistic, actually..." She joined the two, raising her hands, and Aika took the hint and handed it to her. The blonde girl held it in front of herself, gazing at it, and commented, "There wasn't much that he couldn't do if he put his mind to it. When I was little, he used to make necklaces and bracelets for me all the time..."  
  
Fina set the old model back on the bed, and reached past it to softly touch her fingertips to the bound volumes. "He loved these books," she recalled. "He would read and re-read them all the time. Whenever he was punished, the Elders always had to remember to remove them before isolating him in here, or else he'd just use these to entertain himself..."  
  
"Hey, Fina," Gilder called, regarding a large, flat screen built over one of the walls. "What's this thing supposed to be? It can't be a window, and last I checked, paintings didn't move..."  
  
"Oh, that," she replied, walking quickly over to it. "This device allows you to speak with and see people across vast distances. With this, we'll be able to talk to Ramirez in Hahaue's room, provided he responds to my hails." She clasped her hands over her chest, watching the shifting images wistfully. "I used to converse with Ramirez all the time using this... But after he left, there wasn't anyone left to speak with, aside from the Elders..." She bowed her head slightly. "You see, Ramirez, the Elders, and I...are the only Silvites left. The Elders said there is no point in having more people here than is necessary... But, for some reason, I always felt so lonely here..."  
  
"Fina..." Vyse murmured, but she only turned to him with a smile.  
  
"I'll try to contact Ramirez," the Silvite girl said. "In the meantime, if any of you have any more questions, feel free to ask..."  
  
She headed to one of the long, horizontal panels on the wall left of the screen, and Vyse and the others took that as a cue to busy themselves looking elsewhere, which was not difficult to do, because even though the room was small, there were many interesting things to behold. Gilder and Aika moved over to the desk right of the screen, taking up the two seats there, and Vyse inspected another model resting on an opened panel between the bed and where Fina was working.  
  
"It's a model of a really old propeller-driven airship..." he murmured, turning it in the light, not sure which impressed him most—the amount of effort and time that must have gone into the construction, or the intense love Ramirez must have had for the hobby to make something so high quality.  
  
/_I know I spent a lot of time working on my own models when I was a little kid, and always tried my best to make them look outstanding..._/ he mused, then, speaking half to himself and half to the blonde girl next to him, said, "But the level of detail on _this_ thing is just amazing!"  
  
Fina giggled slightly, looking away from the panel to her captain. "Ramirez made it while he was still living here," she smiled, gazing at the model reminiscently. "He used to tell me that all he wanted to do was just 'sail through the vast skies of the world'."  
  
"Really?" Vyse queried, moved deeply. "It's amazing... You've said before that Ramirez now is a lot different from the Ramirez you grew up with... But if he really used to say things like that, I can really appreciate how different he must have been..."  
  
Fina smiled sadly and returned to her work, pressing a sequence of buttons in a remarkably experienced way, the numerous keys punched in a matter of seconds.  
  
"Now all we can do is wait for him to answer," she said, leaning back. "But I don't know if he will... He might not want to talk to anybody... He might think it's one of the Elders..."  
  
Both of them were thinking it, but neither of them wanted to say, _He might already be dead._  
  
  
  
Ramirez, however, was not deceased. His sword was forgotten. His intent of suicide was forgotten. The silently blinking red light, signaling an incoming transmission, was not even noticed. All the Silvite could do was sit on the floor, hugging his legs to his chest, and gaze, haunted, at the dancing image of his mother as a lively young lady. He ached with the wish that he had been able to know the woman whose smile was so warm and laugh was so uplifting. That girl, a few years after these recordings, would be dead...because of him.  
  
"Mother...why did you trade your life for a mistake...?" he murmured, reaching out with one hand as if to touch the white-haired woman who resembled him so much, but all he stroked was air. "Why..."  
  
In reply, she said cheerfully, indicating a door to her left, "This is the Room of the Eclipse. It's kept off-limits to everyone, and only Elder Prime is allowed inside. Elsa, come closer, get a good shot of what's inside!"  
  
The video moved slightly as its recorder shifted, probably out of nervousness. "Alita, you know we are not even supposed to be _near_ here... If we are caught—"  
  
"—I will take the blame," Alita cut her off promptly. "We shall just say I made you. I always take the blame for you, anyway. The important thing is that we make this recording!"  
  
Ramirez had to smile; he could see where he got his stubborn streak. He wondered if his mother had even been punished as he had been...  
  
"I do not feel entirely comfortable with this..." Elsa persisted. "Is that sword in there not supposed to be...well...cursed?"  
  
The male Silvite sat up straight. That was a detail he'd never heard from the Elders...  
  
"Cursed," Alita said scornfully. "That's just according to the Elders, and they could tell us Arcadia is made of colored paper and we would never know the difference."  
  
Ramirez chuckled weakly, but it was more heartfelt than anything he had uttered recently was. He didn't know where his mother had gotten her flippant attitude, but his affection for her, and consequently his heartache, intensified all the more for it.  
  
"Besides, the door is locked," the silver-haired woman continued. "Just looking inside will not make a difference. If you still insist, then let me have the sphere and I shall record."  
  
The sphere traded hands, and soon darkness filled the screen, but for a glowing display in the center—Ilazki was in her original crystal case, metal and glowing lights decorating the edges, faint light illuminating the center where the silvery sword rested. "The name of that blade is Ilazki, after the ancient patron of the Silver Moon," Alita narrated gaily. "I do not know how old it is, but I understand it predates the Rains of Destruction."  
  
—_Indeed it does,_— a thought not Ramirez's own bubbled inside his mind, and thinking it something heard, that someone had somehow entered without his knowledge, he spun around, scanning the room. He blinked in surprise and confusion upon seeing no one, and writing it off as his imagination, he turned back to his mother, who was saying, "Ilazki has also been called the Sword of the Dark Moon, and alternately, the Sword of the Eclipse... To be honest, I know little of the weapon, either its origins, who wielded it, or the reasons for its nicknames... The Room of Eclipse itself is strange as well; its make is very obviously different from the other rooms here, up to the door, which you can see is solid metal but for this peephole instead of the light screen doors the rest of the Shrine has. Perhaps this strange construction has to do with the properties of the sword it keeps locked within; apparently Ilazki has been sealed in that room for over fifteen decades."  
  
"If it was sealed, there was probably a good reason for it," Elsa insisted somewhere behind Alita, sounding worried. "Honestly, Alita... I do not understand your fascination with that sword..."  
  
"Elsa!" his mother shouted, but strangely she sounded cheerful. "Why do _you_ think Ilazki is called the Sword of the Eclipse? And, as a Silvite weapon, it would be better named the Sword of the _Silver_ Moon rather than of the _Dark_ Moon, I think; what say you?"  
  
"_Alita_," Elsa replied, unmistakably exasperated. "It is an instrument of destruction. The Dark Moon and the Eclipse probably refer to how it extinguishes life—the black side of the powers of the Silver Moon."  
  
The hairs on the back of Ramirez's neck prickled and stood on end as his foster mother spoke, and feeling oddly paranoid, the silver-haired man glanced around the room again. There was still no one there that he could see.  
  
Sounding disappointed somehow, Alita replied, "That makes sense. Well..." The image moved back, removing the mystical apparition of the pale sword from sight, and before the video went black and changed to a different scene, the girl who would later become his mother finished, "I suppose that is good enough."  
  
  
  
"He's not answering," Fina fretted, stating the obvious, bringing Vyse's attention away from the smudged map spread out on the desk. "I could entreat the Elders to help us... They probably would; they said they didn't want Ramirez here..."  
  
"Nnngh," Vyse growled, clenching a fist. "I'd really rather not ask them for a favor, but we might have to..." He shook his head. "Let's give Ramirez a little more time. If he still doesn't answer in a few minutes, I'll go wait by the door in case he leaves, and if that doesn't work...we'll ask the Elders."  
  
The blonde girl nodded anxiously, and glancing back at the unconnected screen, she joined the others at the desk.  
  
"Oh," she smiled when she saw what the three were inspecting. "It's one of Ramirez's maps... He used to love looking at them, you know."  
  
"Yeah, I bet," Vyse smiled back. "It's covered with notes... I can't read a word of them, though..."  
  
"They're written in the language of the Silvites," Fina smiled, "so it's understandable that you don't."  
  
"Still, his handwriting is really neat," Aika noted, peering at the chart of the world. "You can make out all the little symbols clearly."  
  
Gilder tapped on it. "What I'm wondering is—well, this is a map of the entire world, isn't it?" he said. "It sure would have come in handy. Why didn't Ramirez take it with him? Why didn't _you_, Fina?"  
  
"Well, it's not mine," she replied, taken aback. "He adored his maps... I wouldn't have dared to take one of them. As for Ramirez...well, I don't know. Maybe he thought he wouldn't need it, since he was about to see the real thing." She traced the coast of Nasr gently, looking sad. "He used to say that maps made the world look so small... I never quiet understood what he meant by that..."  
  
Vyse silently looked up at the Silvite girl, reflecting on her recount of Ramirez's old personality. He wished dearly he could have met him before he met Galcian, whom he was certain was the source of the silver-haired man's corruption. He was certain, if only they had met much sooner, Ramirez would be so much better off...  
  
/_Because, Ramirez..._/ he thought, gazing into the distance, thinking affectionately of the former Admiral, /_I _do_ understand what you mean..._/  
  
"It's like this book," Fina continued, moving her fingers to a thick volume with a dark red cover, letters of a foreign language etched in gold lettering on the cover. "This...is an entire history of the world, written in the holy script of the Silvites. Out of all of his books, Ramirez read this one the most. He was always so intrigued by the little intricacies of the world..."  
  
Gilder chuckled. "And now look at him. How long ago did he come down to Arcadia?"  
  
"Eight years ago..." Fina began, then cut herself off from adding, 'today'. /_He probably wouldn't want the attention,_/ she mused sadly, /_even about his birthday. He'd probably be cross that I said things about him again..._/  
  
"More than enough time to change a man," the red-cloaked Air Pirate commented. "And plenty of time to set him in his ways, to boot. When you think about it, it's not surprising that he's taking so badly to all the change in his life." He shrugged. "Well, maybe that interests the rest of you more than it does me."  
  
"Ramirez..." Vyse murmured, somewhat bothered by the time frame; he didn't think the former Admiral could be much older than twenty, perhaps twenty-one. "Hey... What's his age, anyway?"  
  
The Silvite girl hesitated, then replied, "He's twenty-five now." /_Since yesterday,_/ she kept herself from mentioning.  
  
"He looks pretty young for his age," Gilder commented. "Heh, some people have all the luck..."  
  
"...Twenty-_five_?" the captain of the Delphinus gaped, taken aback. "He's eight years older than I am!!"  
  
"Why's this an issue?" Aika queried, raising an orange eyebrow suspiciously. "Gilder's even older than that, aren't you, Gilder?"  
  
"You're a cruel one, Aika," the pirate grimaced. He smirked and chuckled, though, and added, "But I bet Vyse is just going to have to get adjusted to that little fact."  
  
The brunet rogue blushed and replied hotly, "I thought he was four years older, at most! I...I just didn't expect him to be that old!"  
  
The girls stared at each other, Fina and Aika befuddled for different reasons, as Vyse turned his back to them, crossing his arms to hide his embarrassment. /_It's not a big deal,_/ he reassured himself. /_Two years, four years, eight years... He's still Ramirez. I still care about him the same way. I just...need some time to get used to it._/  
  
Glancing back at the thick metal desk, he cleared his throat and touched the map. "Maybe we should take some of these back with us," he suggested. "You know...since Ramirez used to like them so much, he might appreciate having them again..."  
  
"He's changed," Aika pointed out, "a _lot_. He might not want them anymore."  
  
Her childhood friend gave her a half-hearted grin. "Well, even if he doesn't, the information would be really useful, huh?"  
  
She smirked. "You just want that map, don't you?" She grinned back and winked, saying, "I don't blame you! A map of the entire world... We only _just_ sailed around the world, and there's still lots of places we haven't seen yet—this is treasure good as gold!"  
  
The blonde girl looked hesitant. "I don't know..." she said doubtfully. "But...I suppose if you give it back to him, it's all right..."  
  
"Well, are any of us coming back up here again?" Gilder queried. "Best to take what you can, while you can. Now let's get back to dealing with getting Ramirez out of that room, eh?"  
  
The others agreed to this plain logic, but as Vyse picked up the map and carefully rolled it up, Fina voiced one last concern.  
  
"Gilder's right," she said; "we're probably never coming back here. So, if it's all right... Do you mind if I visit my room one last time, before we ask the Elders for anything...?"  
  
The brunet Blue Rogue smiled at her. "Sure. Let's go."  
  
  
  
It was probably a junkpile sphere—a collection of various clips that were supposed to be sorted and rearranged onto different spheres at a later date. Ramirez realized that when his mother reappeared after a short section of black space, looking several years older; perhaps half a decade older than she had been in the last clip.  
  
"Are you sure you wish to use this sphere, Alita?" Elsa was asking. "I believe we used it before..."  
  
"It will be fine," Alita replied, her tone musical. "We can re-record it later when we find a blank sphere, and this one still has space left." There was a brief pause as both took their positions, and Ramirez's mother brushed her long hair back over her shoulder, her veil fluttering, then becoming still.  
  
"It is exciting to think that, in eight lunar cycles' time, I will bear a child," she said glowingly, and the horrible feeling began to grow in Ramirez that this woman didn't have much longer to live. "Although I suppose it is a little frightening as well, to think that there is another Silvite growing inside of me..."  
  
She touched her belly briefly, nervously, saying, "It is a big step, isn't it? I had never before given much thought to this before, but... Elsa's far more delicate than me, so we and the Elders agreed that I should be the first."  
  
/_She's more delicate than you?_/ Ramirez thought dismally. /_Then why did she survive while you died...?_/  
  
"I shall bear a girl, according to the Elders; they were very careful in their engineering," Alita went on, and the silver-haired young man flinched. "But I think I would be happy either way regardless of a daughter or a son." She laughed, curling a lock of white hair around a pair of fingers, and continued, "Perhaps in ten years I'll look back on this sphere with Elsa and my daughter and think of how silly my fears were."  
  
Ramirez suddenly had difficulty swallowing as the woman he called Hahaue set down the sphere, and the scene faded to black; what he did know about fate of the woman who had borne him made her words of the future and hopes almost impossible to bear. She would never look back and laugh. She would never be able to.  
  
Anguish at the pain he would cause—had caused—welled in him, and he buried his face against his knees, barely able to keep from breaking down in despair.  
  
He was startled out of his reverie by the sudden return of the voices, and he jerked his head up, staring at the screen once again. It really was a junk sphere; they had used it yet again. This time, Elsa was sitting next to Alita, who was lying down on her bed, her abdomen noticeably swollen. The air between them wasn't joyous, like it had been last time; this time, things seemed tense.  
  
"Alita..." Elsa was saying, wringing her hands in her lap and glancing nervously at her friend. "I...I think you should do as the Elders say... It would be for the best, wouldn't it? They said that there is a chance you could die if you carry the baby to term! It is still not too late to erase it and start over..."  
  
"It is only a chance," the white-haired woman replied, her tone of amazing calm. "And the Elders say death is nothing, so why should it matter?"  
  
"If you die before the child is born, do you think it will survive?" Elsa tried to persuade her.  
  
"He," Alita corrected her with a smile. "_He_ **will** survive. I am certain of it."  
  
Tears rolled down Elsa's cheeks, and Ramirez blinked rapidly to not mirror her action, his heart thumping. "But what of _you_, Alita?" the pale-blonde woman cried. "Your life is more important than that of a yet unborn babe! And is it not strange?! The Elders were certain it would be female—yet it's male?!"  
  
"Mistakes happen," the soon-to-be mother replied sagely. "And this is not an important one. Do not worry about me. I will survive. I am certain of it."  
  
Elsa rubbed at her eyes, her white silk sleeve coming away wet. "And if you do not?"  
  
"I hope it will not come to that," Alita replied, sitting up ploddingly. "But Elsa, if your selfish friend may entreat a favor from you?" She took her friend's hands into her own and continued, "If the worst should happen... Please, please take care of my son. Show him the love I would show him—the love you would show me. I have chosen to risk my life for him, because I love him. Will you promise me this?"  
  
Trying to choke back tears and failing, Elsa nodded. "I promise, Alita."  
  
"I promise you in return," the white-haired woman smiled gently, "I will do my best to live...for everyone's sake."  
  
The Silvite swordsman couldn't stand it anymore. With a strangled sob, tears began to fall freely down his cheeks.  
  
"Have you chosen a name yet?" the woman with the braided hair queried, she and her friend sitting side by side now. "For your son, I mean."  
  
"I have," the woman whose eyes would match her son's smiled tenderly, caressing her abdomen. "I will call him Ramirez."  
  
"Ramirez," Elsa repeated, trying to smile as well. "It is a...a strong name."  
  
"He will be strong," Alita replied confidently, leaning back. "I can feel it."  
  
Overwhelmed with emotion, the silver-haired man buried his face into his hands and wept copiously, unable to rein in his flooding emotions. The screen went dark and stayed that way, but Ramirez paid it no heed, so engrossed in his thoughts.  
  
Failure...traitor...useless... The Elders named aloud what he had come to believe himself to be. Everyone to whom he had become close, he had eventually betrayed. His life wasn't worth continuing... He didn't even think his life had been worth bringing into the world...  
  
...But his mother had clearly thought differently. She had been willing to die for a child she would never know.  
  
/_Am I worth at least that much? A vibrant woman's life? The life of a woman who shared my dreams...?_/ he wondered, trying to control his ragged breath and failing. /_Dying meaninglessly... Ending my own life... Wouldn't it be ungrateful to her...?_/ Running a hand down his face, he thought, /_I'd never known her... As far as I was concerned, Hahaue was my mother... But when I'd learned that she wasn't, biologically, I always wondered what my real mother was like..._/  
  
He managed to stand, and walked unsteadily over to the bed, light-headed as he sobbed. Everything had been piling up for too long, and this was just one thing too many... Pulling up the sheets and wiping his face with them, he mumbled, "She... Alita... Would she still love me if she knew me now...? But still...giving up so easily... I, I shouldn't..."  
  
Seeing his true mother hadn't been entirely comforting, but it did at least answer his questions on why his mother had died for a mistake. Even though he ended up being someone he wasn't, she had accepted him regardless... Ramirez was willing to walk away with that memory of her.  
  
"She died so I could live..." he whispered to himself. "...I can do the same...for Vyse."  
  
His tears spilling again, the swordsman continued mentally, /_I'll live to protect him. If I die, it will be in defense of his life. As long as he wants me near...I'll live on for his sake. ...It's the only way I can repay the debt I owe._/  
  
Lying down to let himself cry as much as he needed, Ramirez didn't notice the way Ilazki glinted brightly across the room.  
  
  
  
"Ramirez..." Vyse murmured, looking up at the blue-green orb hanging in the black sky from where he was sitting against one of the poles leading into Hahaue's room. He had toured Fina's room briefly with the others, and now they were waiting on her ship while he waited for the older Silvite. "So this is the view you always had growing up, huh..."  
  
/_It's really beautiful,_/ he thought, /_the view from here... Just amazing..._/ He smiled slightly. /_I used to stargaze all the time on Lookout Isle...and Ramirez probably spent a lot of time looking at Arcadia... Kind of funny how we were gazing at each other, in a way..._/  
  
Wishing he had a pocket watch to be able to tell how long he'd been waiting, Vyse sighed. "Ramirez..." he murmured sadly. "Don't be dead, please..." He narrowed his eyes, and standing, trying to make himself concentrate on the other worries he had, he told himself, /_It can't be over yet! There's still so much left to do. There's so much I want to do, and if Galcian gets his way, I'll never be able to do any of it. We'll have to hurry straight to Glacia to get the Delphinus, then sail straight to Dangral Isle—as soon as Ramirez leaves. Hurry up, Ramirez...please... If you need time, I'll give you as much as you need, but right now, we have to—_/  
  
His thoughts were cut off when a soft sound echoed and the screen of light materialized again at his back. The brown-eyed Air Pirate hastily turned around and backed away, his hopes lifting—and then bursting into joy, then concern as Ramirez stumbled out, his sword at his hip, and his face red and tired.  
  
"Ramirez? Are you okay?" he queried, stepping forward to steady him.  
  
The Silvite almost ran into the Blue Rogue, but he pushed him aside and shook his head. "...I'm...I'm fine, sir," he said in a strained voice.  
  
"You look like you've been crying," Vyse argued, then stopped. "...Did you just call me 'sir'?"  
  
"Yes, sir," the former Admiral murmured, keeping his gaze downcast.  
  
"...Why?" Vyse asked, staring at him agape.  
  
Ramirez hesitated, perhaps for thought, and replied, "You are my captain, sir. I should address you in the manner befitting one of your station." While Vyse continued to stare, dumbstruck, the older swordsman deftly changed the subject. "Where are the others, sir? I...have probably been keeping all of you waiting."  
  
Blinking, the Blue Rogue shook his head, wanting badly to set Ramirez straight, but knowing that he was right: they didn't have time to stick around. "We'll talk later," he said firmly. "For right now, you've got a point—let's get going. The others are waiting at the ship."  
  
The Silvite swordsman merely nodded, and the two headed back to where the others were.  
  
As they walked, Ramirez gazed at Vyse. The Silvite wasn't sure of who or what he was anymore... What kind of person he was, his meaning in life, or even what he wanted to do. It was simply easier to fall back into his role as a soldier—to follow orders, thinking of nothing but the mission and the will of his superiors. And separating himself emotionally from Vyse, though still serving him as penitence for his acts, would be best in the end, surely...  
  
When the two had boarded the silvery boat, Aika, glancing at Ramirez, asked Vyse, "So what was all that about, anyway?"  
  
The young brunet shrugged, also turning his eyes to his companion, who refused to meet anyone's gaze. "In any case, let's head back to Glacia, top speed, to board the Delphinus and head to Deep Sky," he told the others. "We've got to hurry to catch up to Galcian."  
  
There were nods and sounds of assent, and Fina quickly had them set off back to the world below, traveling at top speed.  
  
"Well, Ramirez," Vyse began in as low a voice as he could manage with the winds, turning to his companion, "now that we've got a moment, I wanted to ask you about what you called me back there."  
  
"I beg your pardon, sir?" Ramirez replied politely.  
  
"_Exactly_ my point," the brunet frowned. "What's with the sudden formality?"  
  
Dully, the Silvite replied, "You are my captain, sir, and I should—"  
  
"I _know_ that part," the young Air Pirate cut him off. "What I'm asking is, why? You never did anything like that before."  
  
"I no longer serve Lord Galcian," he explained, still sounding dull. "I am dead to him now. So, I serve only you, sir. As I am your subordinate, I should show you the appropriate respect. If it is insufficient, sir, please instruct me in which title to use instead."  
  
"I don't want you calling me by any title at all!!" Vyse reprimanded him, his voice rising. He forced himself to quiet down when the others turned to stare at them, and trying not to hiss, he murmured, "Yes, I'm your captain, and I definitely wouldn't mind respect. But—but this isn't the Armada or a slave ring! You don't 'serve' me! Sure, I call the shots, but that doesn't mean you should say 'sir' every other sentence, or salute me, or call me 'Lord Vyse' on bended knee—and those last two are examples, not suggestions, so you better not start doing them!" Throwing up his hands in exasperation at Ramirez's lack of reaction, he whispered fiercely, "It's just not normal for you!!"  
  
The former Admiral slowly lifted his face to meet Vyse's, his verdure gaze empty. "What, then, _is_ my normal, sir?"  
  
The young ship captain hesitated, then furrowed his brows, clenching a fist. "Not this. Look," he said plaintively, "this... I know you've got a lot of problems, but this just isn't healthy. If you've got something to say to me, just say it, okay? If you want to wait 'til later when we've got more privacy, fine, but please don't bottle it in. I can't stand seeing you like this!"  
  
"Please don't worry about me, sir," the Silvite swordsman smiled painfully.  
  
"I can't help but worry about you," Vyse argued, wincing at the repeated use of the honorific. "You're getting worse and worse with all this stress that's getting piled on top of you. You're calling me 'sir' all of a sudden when you never used to..."  
  
Ramirez's smile became wan. "We're both under a lot of stress...thanks to each other."  
  
There was little the Blue Rogue could say to refute that, seeing as it was true, and he was uncomfortably aware of how Aika, Gilder, and Fina were all listening, even if they were pretending not to. He said quietly, "That doesn't mean we have to add to it. For starters...please don't call me 'sir'. It doesn't sound natural."  
  
"I can't do that, sir," Ramirez replied, his tone soft, and his gaze impassive yet melancholy. "That would be disrespectful."  
  
"You never used to care about respecting Vyse like that before," Aika butted in, dropping any pretense of inattention as she uncrossed her arms to place her hands on her hips. "Why start now?"  
  
He redirected his wan smile towards her, then flicked his gaze to the floor of the ship. "I had...a revelation, of sorts," the male Silvite replied, his voice slightly strained. "I've thrown in my lot with Captain Vyse in many different ways... I should therefore act in a manner appropriate to my position. He is my captain...nothing more."  
  
The significance of this statement wasn't lost on anybody, although it had considerably more meaning to Gilder and Vyse, the latter frowning unhappily.  
  
"So you've given up on Vyse?" the redhead persisted. "No more claiming you love him?"  
  
"Aika!" Vyse said sharply, but Ramirez nodded.  
  
"He is my captain, nothing more," he repeated, his tone dead.  
  
Aika frowned, crossing her arms. /_It sounds to me like you're just not being honest with yourself,_/ she thought, but as she didn't like Ramirez and thus didn't want to encourage him to try for Vyse's affections, she didn't bother to voice her opinion.  
  
Fina also said nothing, although she had been listening it—it was hard not to in such close quarters. She didn't know what she felt; on the one hand, she was relieved that Ramirez was finally giving up on Vyse...but on the other hand, she couldn't erase the feeling, deep down, that this wasn't the way things should be. She also couldn't help but feel guilty about her relief; Vyse was probably the only one who could reach Ramirez, and if her estranged friend cut himself off from even the determined young captain...no one would reach him. She knew all too well how obstinate the older Silvite could be...  
  
Gilder kept his eyes away from the two younger men; it was difficult to pretend to not notice anything, much less to know nothing, especially since he had a strong hunch nothing good could come of this. Granted, he had never thought bringing Ramirez aboard the Delphinus was such a terrific idea, but things were steadily going from bad to worse. While he didn't care about Ramirez one way or the other, Vyse was a friend—not to mention the ringleader of this crazy band of deviants. If he lost his fire because of all of this...it would doom them all when they eventually confronted Galcian. The gun-slinging Air Pirate sincerely hoped, for everyone's sakes, that things turned out well for the two...  
  
Vyse, meanwhile, had to firmly crunch his boot on the desire to smack sense into the Silvite standing in front of him. For him to say so unemotionally that he no longer cared—he couldn't accept that. If things between them _had_ to come to nothing, that wasn't the way he wanted it to end! If nothing else, he wanted to be Ramirez's friend as well as his captain, not just some substitute for Galcian... The thought alone that the person he'd fallen for might be comparing him to _that_ man made him ill.  
  
Taking a deep breath and sighing it out, the brunet rogue leaned in to Ramirez to whisper in his ear, "I won't accept that. I _will not_ give up on you. You mean too much to me."  
  
The former Admiral glanced up quickly, his green eyes meeting Vyse's brown ones, the younger man's gaze so intense with emotion that anyone could see he was completely vulnerable. An almost electric sensation pulsed through Ramirez's body, and he had to look away, though not before Vyse saw a flicker in his eyes. The former Admiral knew, in spite of the mask he tried to wear, that he still felt the same way for the Blue Rogue. But...how could he explain to the straightforward Air Pirate that he wasn't sure of his place in the world anymore? Everything had turned upside-down so many times, he didn't know if it was even possible to fix anything anymore...himself in particular. He was, after all was said and done, afraid, of so many different things...  
  
It was all Vyse's fault...but somehow, Ramirez could only blame himself.  
  
The Blue Rogue's gaze softened as he watched his companion, and glancing up briefly to make sure nobody was watching anymore, he raised a hand to stroke Ramirez's cheek affectionately, and finally moved away. The Silvite was quick to retreat as far as he could as well, turning away to hide his elevated breath and reddening face.  
  
The rest of the journey back from the heavens proceeded in silence; everyone had a great deal to ponder.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
**NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal Arcadia_ [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong.  
  
**Ayu:** In an earlier chapter, Elder Orbis is mistakenly called Elder Orbit. When we get the time, we're going to fix that. Just a heads up.  
  
**Ayu:** Because I took meticulous notes (i.e., copied word-for-word what everyone said) about the events in the GSS when I re-played _Legends_ a few months back, the dialogue here is much closer to that in the game than it is in certain other parts of the fic where Ianthe and I played through but didn't take notes. Another heads up.  
  
**Ayu:** It's a little off, but it's the second anniversary of _The Day the Moon Shines_. ^^ Around this time last year, we had just completed chapter 10, heh, and we started it the winter break in the year before that (although we started in December, not January, I think). That's our last heads-up. ^^  
  
**Ayu:** This chapter's lyric-title is taken from _Missing Link_, an insert song from the last episode of _Shoujo Kakumei Utena_. Full lyrics can be found, as always, at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!_, the link to which you can (indirectly) find below.  
  
**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com**  
Contact Ianthe of d.I:** ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))  
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net))


	21. Chapter 21: Kokoro no Aosa Kono Te ni Da...

**The Day the Moon Shines  
**By: deep.Indigo  
  
**Chapter 21:** Kokoro no Aosa Kono Te ni Daite  
(_Holding the Blue of My Heart in These Hands_)

  
  
  
  
  
  
 Ramirez did not feel well. Common sense dictated that he not attempt another confrontation with the man he had once served so loyally, the man who had very nearly killed him, but here he was, on the Delphinus as it was sailing to Dangral Isle. As much as he tried to pretend that all his loyalties belonged to Vyse now, he couldn't help but feel ill at the thought of opposing Galcian again...  
  
_"You know, Ramirez," Vyse had said, turning to him with a serious look. "I'll understand if you decide to stay behind and not face Galcian again. You don't have to go with us."_  
  
_"I'll be fine, sir," the Silvite had replied. "Besides, I need to prove that I now am truly your ally."_  
  
_The Blue Rogue's expression had softened, and he began, "Ramirez, I..." But he had cut himself off with a shake of his head. "Okay," he said instead. "And for the love of the Moons, stop calling me 'sir'."  
  
_...so the exchange had gone. Ramirez had certainly meant what he had said; after betraying Vyse, then allying himself with the Blue Rogue, he had to prove that he wasn't going to betray him again. Before, he had warned the brunet pirate countless times that he couldn't be trusted, that they were enemies... Funny how circumstance can turn one into a liar—although only half of one; Ramirez wasn't Vyse's enemy anymore, but the Silvite certainly didn't believe himself any more trustworthy. He had once sworn his everything to the Grand Admiral, all intention and belief stating that he would follow the man for the rest of their lives, but now...  
  
/_Yes, how terribly amusing indeed,_/ he thought bitterly, /_that way circumstance can change the sincerest words into filthy falsehoods._/  
  
Ramirez still didn't believe himself worthy of life, but that was no longer something that was up to him. His life was now consecrated to the Blue Rogue; whether he kept it or lost it was now entirely up to Vyse... No matter how much he tried to deny it, the Silvite couldn't hide or eradicate what he felt for his captain—that small touch on Fina's ship had proved that.  
  
The memory of the way Vyse had bared himself without hesitation once again filled Ramirez with doubt. If the former Admiral had been so inclined, he could have crushed the idealistic Air Pirate... It would have been so simple. Vyse had as much as exposed his chest for a sword thrust. Somehow, though, that was what had made Ramirez hesitate; he knew Vyse was an honest person... The Silvite had assumed that the young ship captain had been lying or patronizing him, or felt indebted to him, or was otherwise similarly confused, and as such he had rejected him. Assuming that Vyse was telling the truth and then later discovering it anything but for whatever reason would have been torment far beyond whatever transient solace—he dared not call it "happiness"—he might have found in the handsome rogue's arms. Ramirez had been protecting himself: one cannot be disappointed if one does not hope. He couldn't believe in Vyse...it was as simple as that. But yet again, the cogs of change were grinding into motion, and though he had felt them churning in the earth beneath his feet several times before, he had yet to grow accustomed to their machinations, and as they had many times in the past, their movement overwhelmed him.  
  
He knew that, when one was overcome by one's situation, one should accept things and move from there. That was the key to conquering one's fear. It seemed that ever since he had begun to travel with the Blue Rogue, though, he was having an increasingly difficult time accepting what happened... Now he had gotten to the point where he wasn't just afraid of the situation, he was afraid of stepping back and calmly observing it. He was afraid of what he might behold...  
  
/_If he is sincere..._/ Ramirez pondered, stealing a glance towards the Blue Rogue, who was at the wheel of the Delphinus, /_...what then? I pointed my blade at Lord Galcian in order to protect him... I've chosen to live on for his sake in memory of Alita... But I'm utterly miserable now. Would accepting his advances make me happy...? No._/ He shut his eyes and bowed his head slightly. /_I cannot think like that. I do not deserve happiness. I admitted it just a second ago—I pointed my blade at Lord Galcian. Those who break the bonds of their oaths do not deserve joy. I suffer by being near Captain Vyse...and that is for the best. I chose him over Galcian; I deserve to endure the consequences. Yes,_/ he thought, lifting his chin to stare straight forward, molding his expression into an indifferent, steel mask./_That is the answer. That must be the answer. I will serve Captain Vyse until the moment he dismisses me, and I shall suffer every minute of it as penitence. What I desire is irrelevant. I am a servant, a soldier; that is the only role suited for me. This is the way it should be...the only way it _can_ be._/  
  
Ramirez knew that, in a way, he was admitting to himself that he wanted to be with Vyse. He also knew to an extent that he was just fooling himself, and that this "solution" was unlikely to ultimately work, but he didn't think about it. He didn't need to think about anything unnecessary anymore. All he needed to do was act on behalf of his new superior.  
  
No one else noticed either his subtle motions or his internal struggles, but Fina nonetheless fretted over her "older brother's" mental state, something that _was_ noticed by the redhead monitoring the controls next to her.  
  
"Hey," she said, keeping her voice just above a whisper. "What're you thinking about, Fina?"  
  
The blonde girl started in surprise at the sound of her friend's voice, but relaxed quickly. "I was thinking about...various things..." she replied, intentionally vague, but unable to keep herself from glancing at Ramirez across the room.  
  
"Don't you have better things to worry about than him?" Aika frowned, gazing at Fina with well-meant concern. "Between what happened on the Great Silver Shrine, and what's going to happen in Deep Sky..."  
  
The Silvite shook her head, not bothering to ask how her friend knew what she had meant. "I've been thinking about those things too," she replied. "I have a lot of my mind. But there was something in particular about Ramirez that I was wondering about; about what he said about Vyse just being his captain now..."  
  
"Yeah?" Aika prompted, trying to keep her eyes on Fina and not glance shiftily at Ramirez.  
  
She hesitated. "Is it... Aika, it is considered wrong for a male to be in love with another male?" she queried in a low voice.  
  
The brown-eyed girl understood. "Normally? No, although it's kind of weird and you don't usually want to be too public about it," she responded. "But Ramirez and Vyse..." She scowled. "The first one I loathe—I'm sorry, but it's true. I can't stand the way he treats other people, I can't stand his attitude, I can't stand _him_. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful how he bought us time against Galcian, but that doesn't mean I like him any better. First he was an arrogant and self-centered jerk, then he was a depressed and mope-y jerk, and now he's just a creepy jerk. He'd need to seriously lighten up before I could begin to tolerate him. And the second..." Aika sighed a bit, smiling half-heartedly. "Well, you know about how I feel about him."  
  
"Mmm..." Fina murmured, bowing her head slightly. "So it would be the same if Ramirez were male or female..."  
  
"If he had the same personality, yeah," Aika replied. "Hmph... Maybe if he were _nice_, people would actually like him."  
  
"He used to be nice," the Silvite girl said sadly.  
  
"Yeah, well... Not anymore," the Blue Rogue sighed. "I don't know how he thought he ever stood a chance with Vyse, the way he acts."  
  
"Maybe he didn't," the blonde pointed out. "Maybe that's why he said what he said."  
  
Aika mused over this prospect. "You know, you've got a point," she conceded. "It makes sense. Anyway, have I answered your question?"  
  
"Yes," Fina murmured. She smiled slightly, glancing away. "You know... I wonder what it means, for me to be...relieved now."  
  
Her friend furrowed her orange brows, not understanding. "Huh?"  
  
"I've turned my back on the Elders," she explained, "and while I'm a little frightened and a little sad, I don't regret it. And...even though what we're trying to do right now is dangerous, I'm not worried, because I have you and Vyse and everyone with me. I feel as though, as long as we're all together, nothing can stop us." She smiled shyly. "But most of all...Ramirez is on our side. I know you don't like him, and I don't blame you. I'm not asking you to like him, either; you've got a right to dislike him. But...when I stop and think back to how things might have gone differently...it might be Galcian and Ramirez both we'd be going to stop now. That's why, while many bad things happened because of it, I'm glad he joined us those months ago...because that means I don't have to fight him."  
  
Aika thought it would be churlish to argue, so she didn't reply. Her Silvite friend didn't seem to mind, though, and gazing out at the dark clouds of lower sky, she whispered, "I think Ramirez looked down on me because he thought I was weak...but now, I want to be stronger—for his sake, too."  
  
The yellow-clothed rogue grinned. "You know, if I were him, I'd be really grateful to have a friend like you, Fina." She leaned on one elbow to gaze outside. "No such luck, huh?"  
  
"Thank you, though," she replied softly, smiling. "Hearing that means a lot to me."  
  
  
  
Though air resistance in the lower altitudes was awful, the trip from Glacia to Dangral did not take long; it helped that they didn't need to change directions much, as their destination was almost due north, and that, being in the lower altitudes, no monsters impeded their journey. There were some murmurs about Ramirez joining them as far as Deep Sky, but no open complaints, something for which Vyse was grateful. The group made inside the Armada base with no problems either, other than the usual token guards and soldiers—something several people thought a bit off, since it was not the first time the island base had been infiltrated—and with Aika's guidance, Vyse lead the way to the lower level, to the place of the mechanized platform leading across and down the skies to the station delving into the realm beneath the clouds.  
  
Ramirez surveyed all 360 degrees of their position with mounting unease as Vyse messed with the controls to the platform. He had not been apart from the Armada so long that he was completely out of touch with how it worked, and this utterly minimal security disturbed him. They had fought with a machine soldier before reaching this place, true, but this was _Soltis_ they were headed for, the Lost Continent, which Galcian intended to make his own; it was nothing but odd that that was the best the powerful man would have to halt those who might come to stop him. Though he had destroyed Crescent Isle and told Vyse never to oppose him again, the Grand Admiral surely would never assume that the Air Pirate would actually do so. Galcian was confident, not foolish, Ramirez knew.  
  
The platform shook and grinded slowly into motion, and the Silvite's misgivings increased. There was probably a trap involved; the white-haired swordsman could only imagine the possibilities. He glanced nervously at Vyse, who was talking to Gilder and Fina. Should he warn the young captain? But what good would it do? Knowing the Blue Rogue, he would go anyway, the others right behind him. And perhaps Vyse already had a plan...  
  
He stepped forward, raising a hand to his chest and bowing in a quick salute before opening his mouth to request permission to speak, but Aika, who had her back to the Silvite, commented to Vyse, "It's just a short ride before we reach Deep Sky...and Galcian."  
  
The Blue Rogue, distracted by the two people, had his attention stolen away again when a deep voice called above them, "You'll be dead before you get there."  
  
As the platform creaked out from under the cover of the Dangral base, those on it swiftly turned to face the muscle-bound Admiral, Vigoro, as he leapt from the beam above them to join them. Bearing the armor and cannon that he hadn't sported the last time Vyse and the others had fought him, he stood, smirking, but the confident expression sublimated off his face when he saw his former fellow Admiral among the ranks of his enemies.  
  
"Ramirez!" Vigoro blustered, gawking at him. "I thought you were dead! Admiral Galcian said he'd executed you!"  
  
The Silvite's heart was thumping quickly; this was not the battlefield he would have preferred, but the second Admiral was also limited in his movements, and he was also outnumbered. And—the real reason for Ramirez's racing palpitation—this, a fight, was the one last place where the ex-Admiral could feel like his old self...  
  
"If you prefer to think of me as a very solid ghost," the pale swordsman replied, his eyes and tone sharp, "by all means, do so."  
  
The muscle-bound man recovered quickly; he was an Admiral for a reason. "Eh, no big deal," he shrugged, smirking. "I'll take you out with the rest of them! Too bad, eh, Red?" he added with a lewd wink to the pirate girl for whom he'd been lusting. "You and me would've been great together!"  
  
"Ew!" Aika exclaimed, holding her oversized boomerang in front of her like a shield. "No way! Vyse, let's beat him up already!!"  
  
All parties moved swiftly into action, and everyone fought fiercely, but when it was five against one, even Vigoro should have easily predicted the outcome. Regardless of the particulars, though, when the platform noisily docked into the building that would lead down into Deep Sky, the Second Admiral, who had been thoroughly trounced, took his defeat with surprisingly good grace.  
  
"Heh," he chuckled, "looks like you guys won. Can't say I'm all that surprised." He shrugged slightly, and continued, "I'll stand aside. If you're really gonna go challenge him, well...it's your own funeral. The only man I've ever lost to before now was Lord Galcian, and let me tell you, he's no pushover. Though I bet Ramirez could've told you that," he added, eyeing the silver-haired man, but the former Admiral refused to meet his gaze. Vigoro again shrugged his massive shoulders, then turned to Aika with a rueful grin.  
  
"Looks like this is good-bye, Red," he told her. "I'll have to give up on you."  
  
"What? Why?" Aika replied in surprise, though she thought, /_Although I'm not complaining..._/  
  
He grinned, tapping his cannon on one shoulder. "'To the strongest man goes the finest woman,'" he quoted. "Vyse just whupped me good, so I guess that means I don't deserve you."  
  
It was highly flawed logic, but Aika was touched nonetheless, and said with some warmth, "Wow, maybe you wouldn't be such a bad guy if you didn't come on so strongly... So what are you gonna do know?"  
  
"I dunno. Maybe I'll become an Air Pirate like you guys," the brown-haired man mused. "It'll be a nice change of pace. Well, I'll let you guys go—but there's just one thing I want to ask you, Ramirez," Vigoro added, turning to his former associate.  
  
"My reasons for switching allegiances are none of your business," the Silvite snapped coldly, correctly guessing on the inquiry.  
  
The muscular man just chuckled. "Wish I could say you've changed, but you'll still as uptight as ever." He turned to the controls of the platform to send himself back to Dangral, but before setting himself in motion, he looked back over his shoulder with a grin and another wink at Aika. "Maybe we'll meet again sometime in those big, open skies, Red! We'll see if I can't win your love after all!" he called back.  
  
Vyse grinned, placing his fists on his hips, and shook his head as the Second Admiral left. "He never gives up, does he?" he commented to his childhood friend.

Aika laughed and grinned nervously at her captain. "I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, though..."  
  
The brunet rogue chuckled, but his demeanor quickly turned serious again. "All right, no time to lose, everyone—let's go," Vyse declared, and at his word, the five turned to the station and quickly entered one by one.  
  
The reinforced structure centered on several elevators leading deeper and deeper into the inky maelstrom outside; nobody wanted to think of what might happen if it happened to rupture somehow. Finally, they found themselves on a giant curving path leading away, to a destination they couldn't clearly see though the murky gloom; whenever anyone took a step, there was an extremely distinct and rather loud _clink_ sound.  
  
Nobody vocally stated that they were finally in Soltis; everyone understood it immediately. In addition, the darkness surrounding them and the deathly quiet but for the sound of their footsteps made speaking seem awkward. It was thus that the group ran for their destination, where each was certain Galcian—and Zelos—would be.  
  
More than ever before, Ramirez was questioning his decision to come along. It still didn't feel quite right, running alongside Air Pirates to go stop the Grand Admiral, and it was odd to think that, had things gone differently during these past several lunar cycles, he would already be inside, assisting Galcian with the breaking of the seal. But at the same time, the Silvite couldn't picture himself as he might be in that position...  
  
They reached the end of the path and stepped through a door, with a brightly lit room inside. To all appearances, it was a dead end, but as Vyse stared inside, unsure of what to do, Ramirez quietly said, "We step on the platform, and it will take us up the tower in front of the place where the Silver Gigas slumbers."

They did so, and light surrounded them, whisking them upwards, then depositing them in front of a large door. They entered to see a hallway and another door at its end.  
  
When they reached it, Vyse paused for a moment, then pushed it open.  
  
And inside awaiting them was Galcian, with all six Crystals. To the side was a force field glowing ghostly blue, and Vyse had a wrenching gut feeling that what could be held under it could only be the Silver Gigas.  
  
The Grand Admiral glanced over in their direction with a smirk, looking wholly unsurprised to see them—perhaps he had been expecting them. "Heh, heh..." he chuckled. "So you made it this far." His cold blue eyes slipped from Vyse to his companions, then widened as they beheld the thought-to-be-late Admiral.  
  
"Ramirez!" Galcian exclaimed. "You are alive?!"  
  
Staring at the Grand Admiral as if transfixed, the male Silvite found that he could not speak. Instead he merely stood there, looking at Galcian but not meeting his eyes, his very guts twisting with shame. He wasn't even sure if he could bear to face him in battle again, especially when he had almost killed his mentor in the last fight...  
  
Everything about him was untrustworthy now.  
  
"No matter," the military man said then, his voice even, though his ruminations were by far more disturbed. /_For he to have survived those wounds..._/ he thought,  
  
_/...is it Ilazki's doing? It is said that, when he wielded it, it also protected Michaol's life when he was in danger... And there is Michaol himself to consider. When Ramirez and I engaged in battle on the Air Pirate's base, it definitely was not he whom I was fighting towards the end... This could be extremely troublesome..._/  
  
Then he remembered what he was about to unleash upon the world, and his smirk returned threefold. What was the power of the Sword of the Dark Moon compared to that of the Silver Gigas? Though the irony of the situation was by no means lost on him... Gesturing towards the contained Zelos with ease, he declared arrogantly, "Surely you realize what this is?"  
  
"Vyse... That sphere is the Silver Gigas, Zelos!" Fina said, taking a step forward, confirming what the young captain had feared. "And he already has the Moon Crystals assembled!!"  
  
"Precisely," Galcian chuckled as the Air Pirates set themselves in an uproar, though Ramirez was surprisingly quiet. "Once Zelos is freed, I shall control the greatest weapon of all time! I will be able to call down the Rains of Destruction at will! And then, my reign shall begin. The six Moons shall obey my commands!"  
  
Unable to keep silent any longer, the Silvite swordsman took a step forward. He couldn't let things end like this—perhaps he had no right to speak, but he had to say something. "Lord Galcian!" he called.  
  
The Grand Admiral turned an unfeeling eye to him. "Ramirez," he replied coolly, looking down upon his former Vice Captain. "I had thought that perhaps I could have trusted _you_. It never crossed my mind that you would throw all I have given you away to pledge yourself anew to a lowly Air Pirate."  
  
Words failed the green-eyed man, and he hung his head, burning with humiliation.  
  
"He's better off with us, anyway!" the brunet rogue yelled, clenching a fist as he threw an arm out in front of himself. "He was just your pawn when he was with you!!"  
  
"Amusing... I could say the same of you," the Grand Admiral smiled coldly. "How useful Ramirez must be to you, with his superb swordsmanship, his understanding of the Armada, and his knowledge as a Silvite... Not to mention what a blow it is to my forces now that I no longer have him serving as my right-hand man. I must commend your cunning, Air Pirate. There are few among my soldiers who could do better."  
  
Ramirez's head jerked up, and he stared at Lord Galcian and Vyse in turn.  
  
Could it be...?  
  
He had wanted to trust Vyse; he still did... But he had trusted Admiral Mendosa all those years ago, had wanted to trust him, and in the end, the worst had indeed been true... And the only reason he ever even found out was because of—Galcian's words...  
  
But things weren't the same as back then. He wasn't an innocent, impressionable teenage boy any longer. His hands were as good as soaked with blood. He had witnessed countless horrors; he had committed murder and more time and time again in the name of justice. And now, yet again, the Silvite man had gone too far, and he couldn't turn back. Even if he was being used...even if he was being manipulated...he had done the same before, hadn't he...? He was no longer entitled to righteous fury...  
  
/_I'm...not going to betray anyone anymore,_/ Ramirez told himself. /_No matter what happens to me._/  
  
As the Silvite was thinking, with a sound of outrage, Vyse began, "You're wrong!! I—"  
  
But Galcian was no longer in the mood for banter, and raising an arm, he bellowed, "Behold! A might far greater than fragile human loyalties!"  
  
"NO!!" the blue-clad rogue shouted as energy from all the Crystals surged over the translucent blue seal, shattering that which had kept the last Gigas asleep for untold ages. "He broke the seal!!"  
  
Buzzing and crackling with suddenly released power, the silvery orb rose several inches into the air, and with a sneer, the Grand Admiral commanded, "Zelos! I am your master! Raise the Lost Continent of Soltis! From this day forth, Soltis shall be my castle!" He turned his fierce gaze and condescending smirk to the brunet rogue and his companions then. "Farewell, Air Pirates. This place shall become a grave unto you all!"  
  
As Zelos steadily ascended and the slab upon which the powerful man stood began to grind upwards to follow it, Ramirez flinched. Galcian had referred to _all_ of them as Air Pirates. That acknowledgement, coming from the man whom he had served, more than anything, drove home the reality of what he had become...  
  
"Vyse!" Fina cried as she turned to him, having seized some presence of mind to break her gaze away from the events unfolding like iris petals before them. "He's raising Soltis! This whole place... We've got to get back to Dangral!"  
  
The doors behind them slid open as Aika and Gilder moved to prepare for flight, stopping only to wait tersely for their companions. Clenching a fist, Vyse growled, "Damn... We were so close...!" Turning to the others, he shouted, "All right, let's get out of here. Go! Back to Dangral Isle!!"  
  
Fina, Aika, and Gilder didn't need telling twice; they made good time, Vyse at their heels, but as the captain of the Delphinus ran, he swiftly noticed that there was one person who had yet to move. Halting and turning back, he yelled to the Silvite, who was still staring numbly at the forms of Galcian and Zelos moving further and further away, "Ramirez, what are you doing!?" He quickly stepped forward, grabbed the former Admiral's wrist, and pulled. "We've got to get out of here!!"  
  
Quite literally jerked out of his reverie, Ramirez turned and looked at Vyse, or more accurately, past him. "I'm sorry, sir," he said, his tone dull despite his efforts to appear otherwise, before he stepped to join the awaiting group.  
  
His own doubts, his own regrets, he reminded himself, were meaningless.  
  
The young Air Pirate squinted at the former Admiral, his chest aching at the older man's attitude, but now was hardly the moment. He sprinted into motion again, this time with the white-haired Silvite behind him.  
  
Ramirez, though, couldn't help but glance behind himself one last time before they exited the tower and made their way as quickly as possible to the Deep Sky station, and from there, the dock and the lift that would bring them back to Dangral Island and safety.  
  
The lift did indeed start, which was a great relief, considering the amount of shaking and crumbling that was going on, but it was when it had reached the half-way point that the lift abruptly ground to a halt.  
  
An almost ghastly silence fell over the group. If they couldn't get back up to the base, then they would almost certainly...  
  
Gilder, regaining his wits, immediately turned to the controls, trying force the lift to move again, and in the distance, the others could see the silvery peaks of Soltis beginning to surface from the black miasma of clouds that made up Deep Sky.  
  
"No..." Fina whispered, staring at the slowly rising continent. The Rains of Destruction... they would fall again... She shook her head and deliberately averted her verdure eyes from the sight, trying to push such dark thoughts out of her head.  
  
Gilder had continued to struggle with the controls, but to no avail. "They're not working," he finally sighed.  
  
Shaking her head, Aika said adamantly, "No! There's gotta be something we can do!"  
  
"The rail," Vyse said then, his brown eyes on the metal beam that supported the lift and following it all the way back up to their destination. "That's it! We'll run up the beam!"  
  
"What?" his redheaded friend gawked. "Vyse, are you serious?"  
  
"It leads all the way back to Dangral Isle!" he said firmly. "It's our only chance!"  
  
Raising an eyebrow and looking distinctly put off, Gilder commented, "Y'know, Vyse, some of us aren't as young as we used to be..."  
  
But the brunet had already leapt down to the steel beam, and was waving the others on to join him. The sunglasses-wearing pirate grimaced, but muttered, "No helping it, I guess..."  
  
Aika jumped down after Vyse first, and Fina was next, although she hesitated, looking down nervously.  
  
"Don't be afraid," her captain called up to her, spreading out his arms. "I'll catch you!"  
  
The blonde woman nodded, reassured, before jumping down into Vyse's embrace. As she did so, the former Admiral looked away, a twinge of what he knew could only be jealousy in his chest. But he knew it would hardly be a surprise if the Blue Rogue's affections grew stronger for her than for him...  
  
It was all the more reason to separate his feelings from Vyse.  
  
He turned his head, now looking at the progressively rising continent. It had started to crash through the structures where they had been perhaps ten minutes earlier. He darkly estimated that it would be less than a minute before Soltis caught up with them in turn. Behind him, Gilder launched himself from the lift to the beam, landing easily, and turning to his proper destination, the ex-Admiral gracefully followed suit.  
  
"C'mon, let's hurry!" the brunet pirate shouted, Aika and Fina already waiting ahead, as he beckoned them forward. Nobody was in the mood to argue, and the two other men passed their captain. Together, all five began to sprint up the shaking metal lifeline as segments of it began to break apart and fall behind them.

Aika reached the upper lift dock first, and after pulling herself up, she helped up Fina, who was almost right behind her. A screech of metal made the redhead turn abruptly, and she could only stare in horror. Soltis had begun to tear through the bottom of the last beam, causing the whole thing to start to bend with the sickening screech of fracturing steel.  
  
"RUN, VYSE! FASTER!" she screamed, rooted to the spot, for the young captain was still far behind.  
  
He responded by gritting his teeth and leaning forward, his boots clanging on the beam beneath him as he picked up his speed. Gilder, ahead of him, had just joined the girls, and Ramirez was climbing up... He had to make it, too—  
  
But beneath him, the beam snapped and tilted upwards from the force, making Vyse have to run up to reach the end. He knew if he hesitated for a second, it'd be over for him, so he poured everything into a last burst of strength, and reaching the end of the beam, he launched himself forward towards the flat beneath him.

"Vyse!!" his best friend called, her arms outstretched to catch him, backing up a step. With a crash, he landed on her, sending them both to the floor, Aika pinned beneath him. Neither minded that much, though, and Vyse rose partially to turn and stare behind him. Aika, too, stared at Soltis as it rose, but Ramirez, who was being helped up by Gilder and Fina, found his gaze rooted directly on the two childhood friends.  
  
The twinge of jealousy in the ex-Admiral's heart grew exponentially more powerful when he saw the position Vyse and Aika were in, but again, he held his tongue. The captain of the Delphinus was safe, and that was the important thing...and it was foolish of the Silvite to think he had a chance against two attractive girls who had known and been friendly with Vyse for much longer than he had, anyway. It was better to give up completely, to let Vyse be with someone who would make him happy... His own obvious envy and Vyse's admission of love from before were irrelevant, Ramirez assured himself. This would be for the best. It had to be.  
  
Current events were a touch more pressing than Ramirez's emotional issues, however, and he observed that the circumference of Soltis didn't quite reach them—they were safe where they were, thankfully. However, the silvery continent kept rising, and they couldn't afford to stay put... With that general thought in mind, they made their way quickly out of the lower-sky base, returning to the Delphinus.  
  
/_Maybe,_/ Vyse thought to himself as he took the wheel, steering the ship away from Dangral and raising the Delphinus' elevation, /_just maybe, if we can get inside, we can try one more time to stop Galcian before he summons the Rains of Destruction..._/  
  
Ramirez was not so hopeful, however. He knew about the defense system that Soltis boasted, and he knew that it was virtually impenetrable; it had to be to stand up to Zelos' wrath. It was as such unsurprising when, as the Delphinus sailed purposefully towards the resurrected Lost Continent, the ship jammed against an invisible force, and multiple facets of a pale blue shield—much like the seal around Zelos—rapidly appeared, one after the other, until they covered all but the very top of Soltis.  
  
"What in the Moons is that?!" Vyse gasped, staring.  
  
"The Dome of Light," Fina replied worriedly. "It was an ancient defense mechanism..."  
  
"...to ensure that Soltis would not meet the same fate as the rest of the world," Ramirez finished dully.  
  
Vyse turned slightly, looking at the two Silvites. "Is there any way to get by it?" he asked, hoping they would have a solution.  
  
"It's meant to stand up to the Rains of Destruction," the swordsman replied, shaking his head. "There is no way we can pierce it with the Delphinus' power alone."  
  
"Not even with the Moon Stone Cannon?" Vyse persisted, dismay beginning to cloud his features.  
  
Fina shook her head. "If the Rains of Destruction can't break it, the Moon Stone Cannon would never be able to," she pointed out unhappily.  
  
"Damn!" the brunet cursed. "Then what do we..."  
  
He abruptly cut himself off when he noticed light gathering at the tip of the Soltis tower. Before he could react, a great golden beam shot from the tip past the small hole in the at the top of the Dome of Light—so much for trying to sail in from above!—then hurtled up into the atmosphere and curved north, heading for the Yellow Moon over Valua.  
  
Ramirez knew all too well what was going to happen; Lord Galcian and he had discussed this, though it felt like it had been in another lifetime. Valua would be ravaged by the Rains of Destruction, destroyed by its own Moon. Countless lives would be snuffed like open candles in a thunderstorm, and the country would fall, an example to the rest of the world. It would also serve to remove the only country that could hope to pose a threat to them.  
  
Back then, he had thought all that death would be an acceptable sacrifice for the salvation of the world, particularly since people were worthless wretches anyway, but...  
  
...he wasn't so sure of that anymore. No, there was nothing he was certain of anymore.  
  
And so he merely watched, his face an impassive mask, any thoughts or doubts locked deeply away.  
  
"Damn it!!" Vyse cursed, watching the trajectory of the Rains of Destruction with a hated feeling of helplessness. Neither Valua nor the Yellow Moon could be seen from this distance, but he had a good idea of what would happen. He only hoped that Enrique, at least, could find his way to safety, for Moegi's sake as well... "No choice," he declared, turning the wheel. "Let's retreat and regroup!"  
  
"Vyse," Aika interjected, approaching him to put a hand on his shoulder, "Shouldn't we go to Sailor's Isle, instead? I mean, you're not planning on giving up, right?"  
  
"Of course not," he said hotly, turning to her. "But what do you mean?"  
  
"You gotta let other people know that!" she declared, taking her hand off his shoulder to gesture emphatically. "There's probably a lot of other people who don't want to give up, either!"  
  
He considered her words, stunned, and then nodded emphatically. "Most people probably think we've been wiped off the face of the planet," he said with determination. "We'll have to let them know that, even if we can't touch Galcian—he can't touch us either! And that's at least a start!"  
  
Not wanting to think of how, even with Glacia as their new base, they still couldn't hope to defeat the entire Armada with one ship—even one as powerful as the Delphinus—and turned the wheel to head north-northeast.  
  
  
  
The view from Sailor's Isle was much better for telling what was going on over Valua, and as such the people there were heavily shaken. Still, Vyse's charisma and passion reached them, and soon word was buzzing all over the sailors that the guy who'd broken out of the Grand Fortress twice wasn't going to take this new development lying down.  
  
Perhaps the universe was in the mood for a little more irony, but when the group visited the Sailor's Guild to ask the guildmaster to pass the word on for them, he had a message for them—specifically, a Black Spot, which meant that Piastol was targeting them for a third time.  
  
"Not now, of all times," Vyse groaned. "There's no helping it. She'll just hunt us down personally if we ignore her, and that might be worse than going to confront her ourselves. We'll go fight her after we visit Doc and feed Maria's bird."  
  
Nobody contested his decision; probably everyone thought that it was better to nip the threat the Angel of Death posed in the bud. With any luck, this would be the last Black Spot she'd be sending their way. After buying new equipment, ship parts, and items, the group returned to the Delphinus.  
  
As the others walked in, Ramirez stopped Vyse, bowed slightly, and inquired, "Sir, if I may request my current orders?"  
  
The Blue Rogue grimaced. "Ramirez, how many times do I have to tell you not to call me 'sir'?"  
  
Ramirez glanced aside, as if thinking about something, then replied, "My apologies, sir, but as my commanding officer, I cannot address you in such a manner."  
  
Vyse sighed and shook his head. "Piastol's pretty tough," he said, conceding for the moment, "and really stubborn. This is the third time, I think, she's called us out. We might need your help."  
  
"I am willing to wield my sword for your sake, sir," the Silvite replied simply.  
  
Vyse glanced over at the silver-haired man wearily. "Look, Ramirez," he began, the former Admiral's words turning back his thoughts to the encounter with Galcian, "It's not an order. You don't have to help out if you don't want to." He paused before stating bluntly, "I'm not using you. I don't just care about how good you are at fighting."  
  
The Silvite stared at his captain for a long moment, his expression guarded; however, there was a flicker in his jade green eyes. Finally, he replied quietly, "You may use me however you wish, sir."  
  
Taken aback, Vyse blinked in surprise and blurted out, "You're not an object!"  
  
His expression never changing, the ex-Admiral said diplomatically, "Of course not, sir."  
  
Vyse's expression grew pained, and he shook his head but did not argue further. Instead, he just sighed, "She's not too far from Sailor's Isle, so make sure you're prepared, all right? You've probably heard of her—she's on the Valuan wanted list for piracy. She's listed as the Angel of Death."  
  
Ramirez gave a short nod. That name had stuck in his mind—no doubt it had been selected for good reason. But for a bounty hunter, if she was indeed that, to end up on the wanted list, and to have gotten there by getting her bounties to come to her...!  
  
But it wasn't his place, not anymore, to ask such things. He was to do as he was commanded, only that.  
  
"I'll let you know when we're ready, so make sure everything's in order, okay?" Vyse said, to which Ramirez nodded acquiescently, and they parted ways.  
  
The ex-Admiral, as he double-checked his equipment, couldn't help but brood again. Seeing Lord Galcian again only continued to pound home what he already believed, that he was a failure and a traitor. And even if his former mentor's words were true, even if Vyse was using him and would shortly discard him in turn... He deserved as much, didn't he? He continued to repeat that mentally, almost as a mantra, trying to brush aside the ache he felt in his chest. What happened to him no longer mattered. _He_ no longer mattered. He was only worth anything as long as he could be of use.  
  
Telling himself that and only mostly believing it, he finished his preparations and returned to the bridge to wait.  
  
  
  
One of the Delphinus' lifeboats approached the small boat where they had visited so many times before. Aika and Fina had elected to come with Vyse to visit Doc one more time; Ramirez had politely declined, adding those respectful appellations that Vyse so despised, and Gilder, too, had expressed little interest in such a visit.  
  
"Vyse, Aika, Fina! Hi," Doc greeted the three with an easygoing smile, much different from his stiff, almost formal mannerisms from when they had first met lunar cycles ago. Standing nearby was his young blonde charge, and next to her was the marshmallow-like, mysterious, yellow-and-white bird. "Stopped by for a visit, I see! Have you got any more Moonfish for Maria's little friend?"  
  
Vyse nodded with a grin. "Yeah, I've got some more!"  
  
The group watched, pleased, as the chubby bird grew taller and rounder with every translucent fish it was fed, and while the fact that it threw up items wasn't exactly charming, they tended to be surprisingly useful items, and the Air Pirates pocketed them as usual. Maria beamed at them and thanked them before running off to play with her pet, to which everyone was pleased, if not thrilled.  
  
"By the way, Vyse," Doc said once all the Moonfish were gone, growing more serious. "I was wondering—do you know what's going on in Mid-Ocean? The skies in that direction are growing strange..."  
  
Vyse's expression became grim. "Galcian," he said, glancing back towards Mid-Ocean. "He's resurrected a lost continent, and now Valua's..."  
  
"What?!" Doc said, his eyes widening. "Then...the explosions coming from the north...those were _his_ doing?!" He shook his head in disbelief, though the ship doctor knew Vyse was not lying. "Say," he added, his brows furrowing, "if you know that much, do you know anything about Ramirez...?"  
  
Vyse paused momentarily. Ramirez had once said that he didn't want him to talk to Doc about his past, that he wanted to Vyse to ask him first, but now...he wasn't likely to get much more than some tired apology or loathsome gesture of respect from the former Admiral. A lot had changed, and things wouldn't get better unless Vyse had some answers. And so he admitted, "Yes. He's with us."  
  
"He's w—" Doc gaped in shock, then shook his head. "What do you mean, he's with you? I've heard rumors about the two of you, but..."  
  
"It's a long story..." Vyse sighed. He gave Doc a summarized version, which still took well over an hour in the telling, and partway through, the Valuan stopped him and invited them all inside, where they could sit down. By the end, the 30-year-old was leaning back in his chair, looking simply stunned.  
  
"He...definitely sounds different from seven years ago," Doc said sadly. "That reminds me—you didn't get to hear what I told the girls about Ramirez last time, did you, Vyse?"  
  
Vyse shook his head. "No, I don't think so," he said, "Please, if you think it's important, I'd like to hear it..."  
  
"Well...it's a story Aika and Fina already know, but..." Doc frowned, looking at the girls, but they just nodded him on, and he returned his gaze to the brunet youth. "Very well. You remember how Ramirez and I met, right? Well, soon after that, we were sent to Ixa'taka, just after Valua had begun to occupy the area..."  
  
_Ramirez had been looking ill at ease for a long time, and considering what a bright, cheerful young man he usually was, it was impossible for Doc and Mendosa not to notice. Doc was fine with leaving well enough alone, believing that Ramirez would share what was bothering him in due time, but when the captain of the flagship __Aquila__ had them both in audience, he turned a fatherly gaze toward the silver-haired teenager._  
  
_"What's wrong, Ramirez?" he queried calmly. "Ever since we got to Ixa'taka, you've looked troubled. Don't be afraid to speak your mind."_  
  
_Ramirez, who was normally somewhat demure, was startled by the sudden attention, and glanced away at Doc briefly, who nodded encouragingly now that the matter had been brought up, before taking a deep breath. "Well..." he began hesitantly. "If I may speak freely, I feel that Valua is wrong in its ways...in the way it treats the Ixa'takans."_  
  
_The ship doctor had wondered what had been bothering his friend so, but these words were borderline treason, which could get the naïve soldier into more hot water than he'd bargained for. "H, hey," he interrupted, looking alarmed and concerned. "Wait a minute there, Ramirez!"_  
  
_But now that he had begun, the young soldier continued with growing strength and passion. "Putting the people into slavery, forcing them to mine for Moonstones...and all for Valua's profit? It's horrible."_  
  
_Stunned by the truth of his friend's sincerity, Doc murmured, "Ramirez..."_  
  
_Admiral Mendosa had listened patiently and with a noble, thoughtful gaze—or at least it seemed that way on the surface. Had either of the men Mendosa had named as being like sons to him been watching carefully, they might have noticed a tautness to his face, a slight twitch to his eyelids that would have hinted that he was trying to think very quickly._  
  
_"...Ramirez," he began at last, his voice soothing. "You are absolutely right. I, as a father of two, feel the same way. I feel a sadness deep in my heart for the plight of the people of Ixa'taka." Leaning forward slightly, Mendosa added, "How's this, then? I will personally express those grievances to the Empress herself. Let me deal with it, Ramirez."_  
  
_Smiling in relief and never realizing how Admiral Mendosa had been stalling for time, the impressionable Silvite bowed and replied, "...Thank you, m'lord."_  
  
"One day, we ran into Admiral Galcian in Ixa'taka. Back then, Lord Galcian was still just another Admiral in the Armada, but stories of his military prowess were spreading rapidly." Doc sighed slightly. "Actually, the reason why Valua had so easily conquered Ixa'taka and occupied it was due to the great military feats of Lord Galcian. Of course, Ramirez went straight to Galcian, being the root of all the evils in Ixa'taka."  
  
Vyse had a hard time picturing Ramirez confronting Galcian over anything, even now... "And?" he asked, prompting the other man on. "Then what happened?"  
  
Doc smiled ruefully as he recalled the conversation that had ensued...  
  
_The moment the young soldier had laid eyes upon the Admiral who had almost single-handedly conquered Ixa'taka, his righteous fury had kindled and promptly exploded. His first reaction was to lunge at him, and it was only because Doc happened to be there at the moment and was quick enough to grab his friend's arms from behind that Ramirez didn't outright attack Galcian. Instead, he only shouted at the surprisingly unperturbed and even amused Admiral, "Lord Galcian! How can you treat the Ixa'takans like this?! It's despicable!"_  
  
_Shocked all over again at his young friend's forthrightness, Doc yelled even as he struggled to hold him back, "R, Ramirez! You can't talk like that to an Admiral!!!"_  
  
_Glaring back over his shoulder, lessening but not ceasing his attempts to get away, the Silvite snapped, "Stay out of this, Doc. This has nothing to do with you. And no matter what happens, I know Admiral Mendosa will stand up for me."_  
  
_"Admiral Mendosa?" Galcian repeated, even more amused than ever as he scrutinized Ramirez, somehow finding something about the youth to be exceedingly fascinating. "Heh... Fool."_  
  
_"What did you say?!" the naïve youth demanded, snapping his head forward to glare in outrage at the one whom he regarded as the villain. "How dare you speak ill of Admiral Mendosa! I will not stand here and let you tarnish his honor!"_  
  
_"It was not Mendosa that I called a fool," the Admiral refuted, never losing his calm, arrogant, condescending demeanor. "It is you, boy, who follow him so blindly, that is the fool."_  
  
_His outrage mixed with abrupt confusion and a sudden unexplained feeling of dread, and though he told himself he shouldn't listen to what this man had to say, he couldn't divide his attention from him. It was while he felt that way that Ramirez queried almost out of reaction, falling completely still, "Wh, what did you say?"_  
  
_Pleased that his carefully aimed words had struck home and he now had the Silvite in the palm of his hand, Galcian replied with the complete self-assurance of experience and knowledge, "People are not to be trusted. Depend on a person too much and they will betray your trust sooner or later." Smirking at the stunned look on Ramirez's face, his expression as much as saying that what the Admiral had said struck a chord in him, the conqueror of Ixa'taka resumed, "I only believe in power. Power will never betray you. And that is why I search this land for an even greater power. And if such a power exists, I swear, it shall be mine." Utterly undisturbed by the look of confusion and shock on the boy's face, the Admiral turned his back to him and Doc. "You will someday understand the meaning of my words. When that day comes, I will be awaiting you."_  
  
_And without another word, he strode away, his steps measured and reflecting Galcian's utter confidence that the seeds he had sown would bear ripe, blood-red fruit._  
  
_Ramirez had been rendered motionless and speechless, and slowly, when he felt sure he wouldn't run after Galcian after all, Doc removed his arms from the young lad. The ship doctor didn't know what to say to his friend, and as he gazed upon the frozen look of shock upon the white-haired soldier's face, even the questions he had about what the Admiral had been talking about withered away._  
  
_He hadn't known it then—he couldn't have known, for he was only aware of as much as Ramirez—but something terrible had been set into motion...something that, once it had begun its spiraling descent, could not and could never be stopped._  
  
The ship doctor let loose another deep sigh as he finished his story. "That was the first time Ramirez and Galcian had ever met. If I had only stopped Ramirez back then, things may have turned out much differently."  
  
Vyse stared at the doctor the entire time he recounted the meeting with Galcian, a chill running down his spine. Those words... Ramirez had repeated them or variants of them so many times to him...  
  
Galcian...really had corrupted Ramirez. But why? What had happened to make the older swordsman trust...that man so much?  
  
"Doc..." he spoke at long last, finally collecting his thoughts, "I gotta know. What happened...? What happened to change him that much?"  
  
The medical man grimaced slightly. "I can understand the position you're in...but it's just too difficult for me to talk about. It's an extremely sensitive subject..." He sighed. "I'm sorry."  
  
Vyse shook his head and smiled, though it was somewhat weak. "No...that's okay. I don't want to force you to talk about anything you're uncomfortable about," he said. "Besides, I'm grateful enough for you to have told me this much already."  
  
"I've grateful to you too, for all you've been doing for Maria," Doc smiled back; his gesture, too, was slightly forced. He stood and walked the group out, saying, "I wish you the best of luck on everything, all three of you."  
  
As they headed for their lifeboat, waving in return, Vyse called back, "You too, okay? Take care of yourselves!"  
  
Doc saluted with a grin in reply, and the young Blue Rogues headed back to the Delphinus, then to the bridge.  
  
"You sure took a while," Gilder observed, pushing himself off the wall. "What took you three?"  
  
"...We had a lot to talk about," Vyse said simply, then added, "Why? Do you want to know?"  
  
The older pirate shrugged good-naturedly. "Nah," he replied. "Not if you don't want to share. So on to the so-called Angel of Death now, Vyse?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll have to try and settle things with Piastol again," the captain of the Delphinus sighed. "After all, there's not much else we can do right now. We let everyone know that there are people who oppose Galcian..." He glanced away momentarily, his face sterner. "If no one will stand by us, we'll just have to try on our own, even if the odds are against us."  
  
The powerful Valuan ship sailed northwest past Sailor's Isle to the place where its crew had encountered the black-clad pirate-killer, and sure enough, her ship was sailing there, and as soon as the Delphinus was spotted, it approached them. The blue and white of the Avenger's sails rippled in the wind as it passed by, and knowing the drill, the Air Pirates ran to deck to greet the Angel of Death. As she had twice before, Piastol awaited them, her threatening azure-bladed scythe in one hand, her Deathhound by her feet.  
  
"Vyse," she greeted him with a frigid glare, virtually ignoring the others, "today is the day I take your life."  
  
"Hold on just a minute!" Aika interjected, stepping forward and throwing out an arm in front of Vyse. "Why _do_ you hate Vyse so much, anyway? We've never even met you before you started sending us those Black Spots!"  
  
The bounty huntress bowed her head slightly, her eyes shut, and smirked faintly. "I despise all Air Pirates. That is why I became a hunter of you despicable people. It all began seven years ago...when my family was brutally murdered by Air Pirates." She angrily glared at Vyse then, bringing a hand to her chest, and declared, "And that is where I saw you, Vyse—among the Air Pirate scum that took my family from me!"  
  
The entire group reacted with shock, each of them knowing that there was no way that the captain of the Delphinus would or could do such a thing, but taken aback by the deadly seriousness with which Piastol spoke. Even if it weren't true—which it couldn't be—she obviously deeply believed otherwise.  
  
Vyse and Aika in particular stared back at her in surprise. "H, huh?!" the former gasped.             
  
"You've gotta be mistaken! We're Blue Rogues!" the latter added. Her gaze growing saddened, the redhead continued, "We'd never do something like that!"  
  
"Silence!" she cut him off, shaking her head in flat-out denial. "Blue, Black... You're all the same! You all deserve to die!" Narrowing her eyes at him in utter hatred, Piastol growled, "My only purpose in life since then has been to deliver justice unto the Air Pirates that destroyed my life. Vyse, it is time for me to have my revenge!" Twirling her scythe and leaping forward, she snarled, "Have at you! I will avenge my father!!"  
  
Despite her proclamation, with the odds at five-to-two against her, it was not surprising that the self-proclaimed bounty hunter lost, although she had put up a good fight. When it was over, Piastol dropped to one knee, her teeth gritted, her injuries aggravating her breathing.  
  
"F... Father...am I doomed...to never win?" she asked the wind, her voice agonized. "To...never avenge your death?"  
  
Although she had tried to kill him, Vyse was not inclined to be heartless towards her—and besides, he couldn't simply leave the situation as it was, not with her making an accusation he couldn't understand but she very obviously wholeheartedly believed.  
  
Stepping forward, he said calmly and seriously, "Piastol, tell me. Tell me what happened to you seven years ago. I want—no, I need to know why you think I killed your family."  
  
The Angel of Death lifted her head, looking up at him, her gaze never softening. "...Very well. I will tell you. Perhaps you will at last remember, as well..." she said after a long pause before shutting her eyes and bowing her head. "Seven years ago... I was a young girl of ten years. My father was a soldier in the Valuan Armada. My entire family lived aboard his ship as we sailed the Valuan skies...together."  
  
Seven years ago... It seemed to Ramirez that that year was a bad one for those connected with the Armada, he reflected broodingly as he gazed at the cerulean-haired teenager.  
  
Piastol continued, her voice undulating with rage and anguish, "One night, I was awakened by a loud explosion and rumbling. I rushed to the deck, and found nothing but a sea of flames. But, I could see through the flames that an Air Pirate ship was fast approaching. The rest of my family was on the bridge of our ship... but the flames were too strong. I couldn't get through to them. My father used to always tell me that in situations like this, to 'save myself first'. I was so worried about my father... and my baby sister... but instead, I rushed to the room where we kept the life boats." She glared up at Aika lividly, her blue eyes burning, and added, "That is where I ran into an Air Pirate... A red-haired Air Pirate girl!"  
  
Aika's brown eyes widened in realization as the story suddenly became much more familiar, and she gasped, "Wait a minute... That was you?!"  
  
"Yes," Piastol stated, staring coldly at the 'red-haired one', "it was I. And for whatever reason, even though you were invading our ship, I found you unarmed. I reacted, as the soldier my father had raised me to be. Without a second thought, I drew my knife... I threw it with the intention to kill. But, my knife missed its mark. It's because _you_, Vyse," and with this she turned and gestured at the Blue Rogue in question, "jumped in the way to protect her. And my knife struck your cheek." She sneered as memory suddenly flooded into Vyse's face, and he stared at her with abrupt, total recognition. "Yes, that scar on your cheek is from the knife that I threw. And while you were both still disoriented, I made away on a lifeboat and left you two to burn on the ship that you destroyed."  
  
The Angel of Death bowed her head, glowering at the deck of the Delphinus. "I later learned that the flagship 'Aquila' did not sink..." She shut her eyes tightly and went on, not noticing how Ramirez had gone tense, "And that they...found my father's corpse. The doctors say that it was not the fire that had killed him...but a sword wound."  
  
/_No,_/ Ramirez thought to himself, /_it couldn't be... Could she really be one of Mendosa's daughters?_/ But her name, now that he thought of it, seemed ominously familiar, as well as the events she'd described—and the only flagship Aquila that had been sailing seven years ago had been under the command of none other than the Admiral who had plucked him out of the Mid-Ocean skies.  
  
The vengeful teenage girl had paused briefly, shaking her head, when he interjected, "Piastol."  
  
She opened her mouth to continue, then started slightly and stared at him as if seeing him for the first time. "What is it?" the bounty huntress growled, displeased at being interrupted when revealing something that pained her so much.  
  
"...Was your father's name Mendosa?" he asked quietly, which prompted startled stares from all but Gilder. He had vowed to serve Vyse, and that included sparing him from a bounty hunter's wrath...especially since it was his own doing that had likely been the cause of such hatred in the first place.   
  
She continued to stare at him, now with a look of amazement. "Yes," Piastol replied. "How did you know?"  
  
His shoulders sagged, his suspicions confirmed. He did not revel in the thought of bearing the brunt of her violent wrath, but there was no use in running away; he had to take responsibility, for if he refused, she would only continue to erroneously seek Vyse's blood. "...Because Vyse didn't kill him." He paused, then confessed, "...I did."  
  
There was a long, stunned silence as everyone realized the gravity of Ramirez's unexpected statement before Piastol finally sputtered, "Y, you lie—to protect him!" Jabbing a finger at Vyse as she sneered at the Silvite, she went on, "What proof do you have?!"  
  
Ramirez sighed. "...Seven years ago, I was in your father's service. I suppose you might not remember me..." he said, trying to recall something, anything, that would make her believe him. It was...almost ironic, that he would be trying so hard convince someone that he was indeed the perpetrator of a murder he had in fact committed.  
  
"It was night when it occurred," he went on dully. "We had recently been in Ixa'taka, and returned to Mid-Ocean temporarily." She continued to glare at him, but didn't interrupt, and Ramirez continued, "The ship didn't sink, despite the damage. You must know that much as well."  
  
She furrowed her brow, and glanced quickly at Vyse, who was staring dumbfounded at Ramirez. "What were you doing there, then?" she demanded of the Blue Rogue.  
  
"We saw the ship ablaze from a distance, and came to help," he said, turning his gaze to her seriously. "Even though it was a Valuan warship, you shouldn't leave people in trouble stranded."  
  
"Yeah," Aika piped up. "I remember, because I thought it would just be a rescue mission when we were getting prepared, I didn't bring my weapon with me." She glanced at her childhood friend sadly and went on, "And because of me...because of my stupidity...Vyse got hurt. All because of my carelessness..."  
  
"Aika..." he murmured, glancing at her in return.  
  
The redhead set her gaze levelly at Piastol. "...Piastol," she stated, her voice determined. "We weren't the ones who killed your dad." Turning her brown eyes to Ramirez, she concluded, "But now you know who did."  
  
The former Admiral bowed his head slightly. "Is there anything more you want to hear?" he asked the bounty hunter.  
  
She didn't reply at first. She was too busy staring from Vyse, to Aika, to Ramirez, and back around again, with a look of growing horror on her face. "This—this can't be true," she insisted, denial clear in her voice. "I can't have been hunting Air Pirates for all this time...for naught..."  
  
Gilder spoke up for the first time then, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. "Now you're just refusing to accept the truth. The killer you've been searching for is right here..."  
  
At this, Ramirez stiffened slightly, but he said nothing.  
  
Piastol now stared only at the former Admiral, frozen in her still kneeling position. "You...killed my father...?" she said in an almost wondering, querying tone, before repeating perhaps to herself, "You killed my father..." A short pause, then, again, her tone steeped with growing rage, "_You_ killed my father?!" And finally, she punched the metal deck in fury and anguish, snarling, "You killed my father!!"  
  
Snapping her head upwards to glare at him in pure odium, she screamed, "WHY?! You said you worked for him!! Why would you murder my father?! Why did you destroy my family—why did you ruin my life?!"  
  
From some part of his mind, a thought came screaming that if she knew what sort of person her father was, she wouldn't be so ready to defend him. Mendosa was a liar, he had played the Silvite false, he...  
  
...was no worse than Ramirez himself. After all, there was little Mendosa had done that he hadn't. Perhaps in different ways, and under certain circumstances, but wasn't he just as false as the man whom he had once considered his surrogate father?  
  
And so he did not refute her anger or try to explain himself.  
  
"Don't you have anything to say for yourself?!" she demanded anew, her knuckles white and trembling. "I can't believe it... I search all this time for an Air Pirate—and it turns out it was one of my father's own men who ended his life!!"  
  
Ramirez glanced off to the right, his head bowed. /_I have no right,_/ he repeated to himself mentally.  
  
Vyse, who was just as surprised by the Silvite's sudden confession as Piastol, didn't know what to say, but he knew he had to try to defuse the situation, and stepping forward, he attempted, "Piastol, calm down. You—"  
  
"_Calm down_?!" she cut him off with a snarl. "How can you possibly understand how I feel right now?!"  
  
Taken aback by the intensity of her anger, Vyse fell silent. Glancing over at Ramirez, he couldn't help but realize how complex this made everything.  
  
He had known that the male Silvite was a soldier, and had done an unknown number of unpleasant things; hell, he himself had been on the receiving end of some of them. But this... Piastol had lost her father, and Ramirez wasn't even trying to give a reason. Perhaps it had been in cold blood; while he had seen the effects of the former Admiral's brutality before, they could be at least attributed to his taking orders from higher up. This, though, was nothing more than plain murder, and if Doc's account was correct, Admiral Mendosa had looked on him as a son.  
  
It was Aika who spoke up then. "Piastol, to be honest, I'm not any more of a fan of Ramirez than you are," she said, stepping forward. "But no matter how angry you are, you're in no condition to fight."  
  
Piastol glowered at the redhead from where she knelt, still heaving, and deliberately forced herself to stand. "Fine," she conceded coldly. "I shall let you go for today. But know this, Ramirez," she hissed, clenching her teeth and glaring balefully at the former Admiral. "I will cut you down and avenge my father. I swear it!! Even if it takes me the rest of my life, even if it _costs_ me my life, I **will** kill you!!"  
  
Ramirez, still not meeting her gaze, merely nodded.  
  
/_If I can make some use of my life...even if it is to expend it for his sake..._/ he thought to himself disjointedly. /_Please, Moons, give my existence some meaning..._/  
  
Still piercing him with a glare of pure loathing, Piastol made her way off the Delphinus back to the Avenger, and once she had gone, Vyse and the others returned inside. However, once they were at the foot of the stairs, the young captain stopped everyone and turned to the Silvite.  
  
"Okay, you need to tell us what happened," he said firmly. "Now."  
  
Though the Silvite couldn't say he wasn't expecting it, the confrontation still froze his insides, and though he kept his gaze on the Blue Rogue, his face was taut and his expression stricken.  
  
"...I'm not kidding," Vyse added, planting his fists on his hips.  
  
Ramirez glanced away, his green eyes tortured. "...I..."  
  
Shaking aside his urge to let him be, Vyse persisted, "Please, Ramirez... We need to know."  
  
The Silvite shut his eyes tightly, clenching a fist as if to steel himself...and then let out a long sigh, his entire body sagging. "How much did you hear from Doc?" he inquired, defeated. "I'll pick up from there..."  
  
"The last he told us was how you and Galcian met," the Blue Rogue replied with a slight frown, gazing at Ramirez sadly. "About how he told you people can't be trusted."  
  
The white-haired man swallowed hard. "...After that..." Even his long hatred of the man he had thought of as his father seemed distant now. But, as he had realized, he wasn't all that different from Mendosa. He, too, had lied and used people for his own ends, even though he didn't mean it for personal gain...  
  
"...After that, sir," he repeated, not meeting anyone's gaze, "I began to wonder about what Lord Galcian had said, and started to investigate into Admiral Mendosa's transactions..."  
  
The Silvite paused for a moment, the memory of the moment when he found that damning proof that even then he had tried so desperately not to believe paining him. Gently, Vyse prompted, "Go on."  
  
"...It was not long," Ramirez continued with great difficulty, "before I found out..." He swallowed hard. "...that Mendosa...had been forcing the Ixa'takan slaves to work extra hours...and the Moonstones they found...he would pocket for himself."  
  
Taken aback, Vyse stared at him, eyes widened. Was this why—? Rather than think about the consequences of that discovery now, though, he asked quietly, "And then?"  
  
The ex-Admiral shut his eyes. "...I didn't want to believe it," he said quietly. "I wanted to believe it was a mistake. He told me once I was like a son to him, sir...and that, when I admitted to being disturbed by the Empire's methods concerning the invasion of Ixa'taka, he would speak with the Empress about the treatment of the slaves taken. I didn't want to believe that he would deceive me like that." Hi clenched his hands tightly and continued, "So I confronted him personally to find out the truth." Ramirez swallowed hard. "...And he admitted it was true."  
  
This, Vyse thought to himself, his face grim, explained a lot. Not only his inability to trust, but also...his attachment to Galcian. He shook his head slightly; now was not the time to think deeply about it. Instead he said, "And that's when you...?" He trailed off. He hardly needed to complete his question.  
  
Ramirez crossed his arms, drawing them tight to his chest as he kept his head bowed. "Admiral Mendosa declared that he couldn't have me knowing his secret, so he ordered his guards to seize me. I was young then; I still didn't know anything. My entire world was turning upside-down, and it was all too much for me." He smiled then, a haunted, eerie smile. "...So I guess I went a little crazy."  
  
There was a long moment of silence, and Aika exchanged a worried glance with Vyse over just what 'a little crazy' could mean.  
  
"...And I suppose you can infer the rest from Piastol's story," the Silvite mumbled in conclusion.  
  
Fina gazed at her "older brother" sadly. She could not condone what he had done, but there was very little about him anymore that could shock her. He had truly fallen very far, far out of her reach...perhaps too far to reach at all.  
  
"Ramirez," Vyse began as he took a step forward, and his chest ached when he saw the silver-haired man hunch in on himself further, as if in anticipatory defense of a reprimand. The Blue Rogue honestly didn't know what to do or say. If he tried to comfort the distraught man or tell him it was all right, it would belittle what had occurred, and that would be an insult not only to Ramirez but to Piastol as well. Even if he thought so, Vyse couldn't tell him it was all right. Although there was a lot of property damage and broken trusts, nobody actually died when Ramirez betrayed him. This, though...was something completely different...  
  
He shook his head, a slight movement. "We'll...talk about this later," he said. As much as the issue needed to be resolved, they had a lot to deal with right now. It could wait a little longer, he decided.  
  
Besides...he needed to think over what he had just learned, before he could begin to talk to Ramirez about it.  
  
"Yes, sir," the Silvite whispered, letting his arms drop to his sides. He still kept his gaze on the floor, not wanting to see how the others were looking at him.  
  
An awkward silence ensued. At length, the young pirate captain said, "We'd probably better get going. We've got a long haul ahead of us."  
  
"Right," Aika said a little too quickly. "We've done everything we can here. Let's get back to Glacia and try to prepare."  
  
Vyse nodded, and with one last worried glance over at Ramirez, he re-entered the Delphinus.  
  
  
  
It was obvious by the time the Delphinus returned to Glacia that there was a blanket of anxiety over the group. Vyse, whose charisma was derived from how he remained optimistic even in the blackest of times, was agitated in particular, and everyone else around him could feel it. He, however, remained unaware of this, and continued to exhort his companions to keep their spirits up, though it was painfully obvious that his heart was not in it. Ramirez remained bland and almost listless, responding only to orders, and as soon as it was possible, he quietly retired to his room and didn't leave. That, perhaps, was the garnish on the soufflé of stress rising inside the Blue Rogue, and he felt as if one good bang would be enough to completely deflate him.  
  
When it was finally time for the entire crew to get to sleep, Vyse collapsed onto his bed, painfully aware that the one he loved was so close and yet so far away. He just wanted to talk to Ramirez, to make him really understand how he felt...but the Silvite refused to respond to anything. With everything else that had been happening, he was truly beginning to despair. He tried to remind himself that he shouldn't give up, that nothing was impossible...but when he tried so hard and _still_ nothing was the result, he couldn't help but think that perhaps some things _were_ impossible...  
  
And that, beyond almost anything else, was causing him anguish.  
  
/_What if I've been wrong all this time? Have I been seeing things only the way I'd wanted to see them?_/  
  
He covered his face with his hands. Maybe some things just couldn't happen, no matter how hard you wanted them to... He didn't want to believe that, but he couldn't very well change the fact that Galcian now controlled the greatest power in the world as well as the entire Armada, had wiped out Valua, and was sitting behind what was essentially an impenetrable barrier. As much as he was trying to pretend otherwise, there was little more they could do here in Glacia than hide. No matter how powerful the Delphinus was, it was still only one ship. Even if he didn't mind uneven odds, the current odds were just too horribly skewed against their favor. They'd need a fleet to go against the entire Armada, and where was he going to find that? Even the recent victory against Piastol felt like anything but, considering she now desperately wanted to kill Ramirez. She'd have to get in line, as there were so many people who wanted to do that: Miran, Khazim (although he was good at swallowing his hate of the Admiral to keep the peace, much as Vyse knew he must hate it), the entire city of Nasr, probably lots of other people the Blue Rogue didn't even know about... Even Galcian wanted him dead now, although perhaps on a less personal level than everyone else.  
  
And then of course there was the matter of Ramirez himself. If the man he perhaps foolishly loved could just give him a sign—a reason to keep hoping and trying—he could hold on to his cheer and vigor, but... He wasn't responding to anything except orders. It was practically as if he'd given up on living as his own person. At least, at the very least, he seemed to have given up on dying...but what he was now was hardly an improvement.  
  
Vyse was not normally one to dwell on the past, but he couldn't help but think back on the days before all this had happened, before it had all gone horribly wrong...  
  
It had only been a month ago, but it felt like another lifetime, when they had been growing so close. True, Ramirez had been intending to and would eventually betray him, but that didn't matter, looking back. No matter how much they had been angry with each other, back then...  
  
...if only he could bring back that time again.  
  
  
  
Aika was also besieged with worries. Her crush on him aside, Vyse was her best friend, and she'd known him practically longer than anyone else. This was the worst she'd ever seen him, ever. He was trying not to give in, trying not to show everyone how bad he felt, but he always was terrible at lying.  
  
/_It's all Ramirez's fault,_/ she thought furiously, turning on her side, her sheets in disarray. /_If he hadn't caused us all so many problems, Vyse would never be this bad! Why does he even..._/ she started to brood, when a thought occurred to her. What if Vyse were in love with...?  
  
The thought was too disgusting to her to complete. After all, she utterly despised that man. For what he did, for how he acted, for whom he loved... If Vyse loved him back, then he really _would_ be a total idiot! Ramirez had done nothing but cause everyone a lot of grief. Surely he wouldn't pick him over his friends!  
  
She rolled over again with a sigh. /_Dammit__, Vyse..._/  
  
  
  
Fina wasn't even trying to sleep. She had a chair next to her window and was gazing up at the canopy of ice from which the city of Glacia hung, her hands clasped to her chest. She wondered if it was because the citizens of the Purple Civilization couldn't see their moon from here that they left. It was too depressing to be unable to look upon what gave you its blessings... Was that a bad omen for them as well? Was the Purple Moon perhaps unable to hear their thoughts and wishes? She had never thought of it before, but ever since coming here, things had been growing steadily worse; it looked like even Vyse was losing heart...  
  
/_But then, that's not really because we came to Glacia,_/ she glumly admitted to herself, glancing down at Deep Sky. /_It's because of Ramirez..._/ She lifted her chin to gaze up at the darkly shimmering ice, her earrings trembling as she moved. /_But I mustn't blame him again. Even if I can't condone what he's done, even if I can't save him...I still have to be stronger, for everyone. For Vyse, for Aika, for Gilder...and even for Ramirez..._/  
  
She shut her eyes and bowed her head, bringing her clasped hands in front of her, and prayed, "Please, Moons... We're trying our very hardest. We'll find a way to win—I know we will, somehow! But please...won't you grant us a miracle to help us along?"  
  
Fina of course received no direct reply, but above the thick, near impenetrable glaciers, the Purple Moon shone a bit more brightly than usual even as a providential wind began to blow.  
  
  


* * *

  
**NOTES:** We own nothing except our ideas. Don't take our ideas. All properties of _Skies of Arcadia_/_Eternal __Arcadia_ [_Legends_] belong to everyone it is to whom they belong.  
  
**Ayu:** Eeyaaargh. Sorry this chapter is so _incredibly_ late. The second semester marked a huge increase in work for both Ianthe and myself, and whenever we managed to catch each other online, one or both of us just wouldn't be in the mood to write, or not have the time, or something like that... I'm a little 'meh' about this chapter, and Ianthe didn't like how I decided to use dialogue direct from the game (she doesn't like that), but I hope it was at least _sort_ of worth the wait. Oh, and I received an email from one of our fans asking how the chapter was going—I'm sorry, I read it, but before I got a chance to reply, I accidentally deleted it, and I can't remember who sent it. ^^;; Sorry! -_-;  
  
**Ayu:** I finished the character designs for Arianne and Miran (colored 'em, too), so for any interested parties, you can find them here: ayu-ohseki.deviantart.com  
  
**Ayu:** This chapter's lyric-title is from _Asu__ he no brilliant road_ (_The Brilliant Road to Tomorrow_), the opening theme to _Uchuu__ no Stellvia_. Uh...I have the full lyrics translated at my lyrics site, _Campus Lyrics!_, but since I haven't updated it since September, well, uh...they kinda aren't there. _;; (*coughcough*)  
  
**Contact deep.Indigo:** deep.Indigo@negativenergy.zzn.com**  
Contact Ianthe of d.I:** ianthefira@rangersgrove.zzn.com (URL: Ranger's Grove (rangersgrove.tripod.com))  
**Contact Ayu of d.I:** ensoph@goddess.zzn.com (URL: ~ T H E : E T E R N A L : M I N D ~ (theeternalmind.sterlingsylver.net))


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